Ceramide NG

Ceramides are wax-like lipids that maintain the skin’s barrier function.

Corneocytes are the cells of the stratum corneum, the topmost layer of the skin. They are held together by protein bridges and the spaces in-between are filled with a lipid mixture also called the lipid matrix. It consists of 50% ceramides, 25% cholesterol, and 10-20% free fatty acids.

This lipid matrix is responsible for the barrier function of the skin – it keeps the water in and most foreign substances out. If disrupted, the skin usually dries out, cracks, and flakes off.

Ceramide Ng is closely related to Ceramide NS. Both were previously called Ceramide 2 but were renamed using new naming rules because they are chemically different.

As a side note: according to the new naming rules for ceramides, this should officially have been named Ceramide NDS, as that is the name used in the recent scientific publications. This ceramide makes up 8-10% of the total skin ceramides and is the dominant ceramide in the skin of the scalp.

In dry, rough, and scaly skin, the levels of all ceramides are decreased, and so supplementing them in the form of a cream or lotion might help to alleviate the symptoms. Ceramide Ng is rarely used on its own, but usually in a mixture with other ceramides – which helps to restore the balance of healthy skin.

If you want to read more about ceramides, their structure, their names, and what they do for your skin, then read here.