Linoleic Acid for Acne-Prone Skin

Sep 8

Ah oils…for many years we’ve been led to believe that especially if we have acne-prone skin, we should be avoiding oils on our skin at all cost. It’s now 2021 and this is so not the case anymore.

It’s now understood that inflamed or acne-prone skin is low in an omega-6 fatty acid called linoleic acid. Linoleic Acid is involved in supporting the skin barrier, which is oftentimes compromised in inflamed or acne-prone skin types.

Here’s why.

It corrects Skin Exfoliation

Another cool part about Linoleic Acid is that a deficiency of this essential fatty acid in the sebum (the oil that our sebocytes in our pores naturally produce) can induce hyperkeratosis - meaning increased skin cell soughing. Couple that with a “stickier” sebum due to its oil content and you’ve got something called “retentive hyperkeratosis”, a classic part of acne pathogenesis. So what I’m trying to say is, if the sebum our skin produces contains adequate amounts of Linoleic Acid, this hyperkeratosis isn’t as upregulated, reducing the need for regular exfoliation of the skin.

It Helps Balance Testosterone

Linoleic Acid is also great for helping to downregulate something called 5-alpha reductase, an enzyme that converts testosterone into its more potent form, DHT. Orally, a number of different fatty acids, including Linoleic Acid have been show to achieve this while topically, Linoleic Acid can also offer support. This is exactly why our Omega Complex contains Linoleic Acid, in the appropriate balance with other skin-loving omegas.

It supports the Acid Mantle

Did you know that your skin’s top layers are more acidic? The pH of our skin is between 4-5.5 and it’s like this in order to protect the skin from external threats. A more acidic pH helps to keep the skin’s microbiome in balance as well as encouraging our skin to keep the skin barrier in tact to maintain skin hydration and reduce chronic, low-grade inflammation in the skin. Fatty acids like Linoleic Acid make up the acid mantle and help to ensure this ever-important pH balance stays where it should.

Oils Higher in Linoleic Acid

Most non-comedogenic oils are also higher in Linoleic Acid, meaning this ingredient is unlikely to clog your pores and aggravate acne. Ingredients like hemp seed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, grape seed oil, rosehip seed oil, cacay oil and red raspberry seed oil are all great options for acne-prone skin that are unlikely to clog pores.

PS - linoleic acids play a critical role in our upcoming skincare line…;)