A crucial substance for ichthyosis skin

Do you know that ichthyosis skin is caused by a deficiency in a crucial substance?

Many people suffer for years from skin that is chronically dry, thickened, and prone to persistent flaking. While it might be mistaken for simple dehydration, this condition is actually a manifestation of ichthyosis—a disorder rooted in underlying changes to skin structure and genetics.

Healthy skin produces a protein called filaggrin, which helps build an intact skin barrier. Filaggrin also breaks down into Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMF), which lock moisture into the skin and maintain the slightly acidic environment necessary for a healthy stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the skin).

In cases of ichthyosis, there are two key defects:

First, there is a deficiency of filaggrin. A lack of filaggrin leads to a reduction in NMF, significantly impairing the skin's ability to retain moisture. Furthermore, skin cells age prematurely and their growth cycle shortens, causing the stratum corneum to become increasingly thick.

Second, there is a deficiency in the enzyme cholesterol sulfatase. This prevents old, dead skin cells from shedding normally; instead, they accumulate in layers on the skin's surface, forming fine, bran-like scales.