Ceramide NP

Ceramide NP, also known as Ceramide 3, is one of the most important skin lipids. It is the most common ceramide and appears naturally in our skin, accounting for 23% of all skin ceramides.

The topmost layer of our skin is called the stratum corneum and it is made up of layers of dead skin cells called corneocytes which are interconnected by a protein network.

The space in between is filled with an oily mixture called the lipid matrix, consisting of 50% ceramides, 25% cholesterol, and 10-20% fatty acids. These molecules arrange themselves into lamelles and, when combined with the other structures, create a water-resistant skin barrier that prevents transdermal water loss.

Dry and flaky patches of skin are almost certainly missing Ceramide NP in their lipid matrix. Research has shown a serious lack of ceramides, specifically Ceramide NP, in skin suffering from conditions such as dish soap and winter-induced dry hands, cracked lips, dandruff, ichthyosis, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis.

If you are suffering from these unpleasant skin problems, then creams and lotions with Ceramide NP may help to alleviate the symptoms, especially when combined with other ceramides and polyunsaturated fatty acids. This is because such mixtures mimic the natural composition of the stratum corneum lipid matrix.

Because Ceramide NP is the most plentiful ceramide in our skin, it is usually the first one that appears on the ingredients list, meaning that it is used more often and in the biggest portions.

Our skin naturally has fewer ceramides in the winter season, and some body parts like the hands, face, and lips tend to lose the lipid matrix with aging.

Replenishing the building blocks of the lipid matrix in the form of creams and lotions is a good idea for everyone, not just for people with dry and cracked skin.

If you want to learn more about ceramides and how they are named and classified, then read the longer article here.