Sunburn, irritation...: shea butter aids in the skin's healing process.

Irritation is a condition that manifests acutely or chronically on the skin's surface. It can present in various ways, but the most common are characterized by redness, swelling, itching, tightness, erythema, or feelings of discomfort. Initially short-term, skin irritation can also cause long-term damage that is sometimes complex to alleviate. Indeed, it can alter the skin's texture, dull the skin's surface, and cause fine lines to appear. The skin's texture can also become uneven.

Generally, skin irritation results from the skin's surface overreacting to external or internal aggressors. Wind, sun, cold, and heat are among these stimuli. The same goes for hard water, unsuitable skincare, pollution, or friction. Among the internal factors, you can list hormonal imbalances, emotions, stress, or an unbalanced diet. Skin irritations can occur temporarily or seasonally.

In reality, skin irritation is the result of the impairment of the hydrolipidic protective barrier established by the skin tissues. When this protective film is compromised, water escapes, the skin becomes dehydrated, loses elasticity, suppleness, and radiance. Cracks or fissures appear, the skin surface becomes rough, and the previously mentioned symptoms manifest. The inefficiency of the hydrolipidic barrier can also promote reactive hyperseborrhea, which is the overproduction of sebum by the sebaceous glands. As a result, the skin shines, the skin texture is irregular, pores are visible, and acne breakouts multiply.

For irritated, red, uncomfortable, or itchy skin to heal, it is necessary to avoid all contact with the irritating factor. Thanks to some of its properties, shea butter soothes irritations and heals the skin.

• Anti-inflammatory properties

You can resort to shea butter, which has a property against skin inflammation. Lupeol is a terpenic alcohol found in the composition of shea butter. It has an inhibitory action on the mRNA expressions of iNOS, COX-2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-12 through the NF-kB signaling pathway induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Shea butter is capable of triggering cytokine cells that alleviate pain and discomfort felt in case of targeted skin problems. It helps to reduce inflammation and redness of the skin.

• Healing properties

The unsaponifiable content in shea butter is at least 4% and can go up to 10% (phytosterols, tocopherols, triterpenes...). Triterpenes are responsible for inactivating proteases such as collagenase, a metalloprotease, and elastase, a serine protease. They promote the production of collagen and elastin, two proteins essential for skin firmness, elasticity, and resistance.The fatty acids it contains also have moisturizing and healing properties. Rich in vitamin A which is an agent antioxidant, shea butter allows the skin to heal and ensures good cell renewal.

The application of shea butter on the skin aids in skin healing by promoting cellular renewal.

To restore the hydrolipidic barrier and alleviate the discomfort of irritated skin, you can incorporate into your routine the Nourishing Face Cream Hyaluronic Acid 1% + Shea Butter offered by Typology. It hydrates, nourishes the skin and restores the hydrolipidic film to limit skin dehydration. Gently massage in circular motions until the moisturizing cream has fully penetrated the skin.

You can also use pure and unrefined shea butter. Massage a dollop of shea butter onto clean, dry skin in circular motions to allow the shea butter to penetrate. Focus on the roughest areas of the body such as the elbows, knees, and heels.

GAUTAM H. K. &al. Anti-inflammatory effects of shea butter through inhibition of iNOS, COX-2, and cytokines via the Nf-κB pathway in LPS-activated J774 macrophage cells. Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (2012).

PEKER K. & al. Medicinal and nutritional benefits from the shea tree. Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare (2017).