Moisturizing your skin daily and keeping it well-hydrated is the key to healthy and glowing skin. A good hydrant may keep many of your skin issues at bay, including flakiness, acne, and wrinkles. Using products with beta-glucans may help keep your skin hydrated from within. Although they are often referred to as the cousins of hyaluronic acid, many consider beta-glucans a better alternative.
Keep reading to know more about beta-glucans, their benefits, and why you need them in your skin care routine.
In This Article
What Are Beta-Glucans?
Beta-glucans or β-glucans are polysaccharides found in the cell walls of yeast, bacteria, fungi, cereals, and oats. They are dietary fibers and can control chronic metabolic diseases by lowering cholesterol levels, improving immunity, stabilizing blood sugar levels, and inhibiting cancer cells. They also help maintain skin health when consumed or applied topically (1).
In dermatology, beta-glucans are used in personal care products. They promote wound healing, moisturize the skin, and have anti-aging benefits. They improve the skin’s resilience to infections (1). They are especially beneficial for sensitive skin, may help soothe symptoms of eczema and dermatitis, and protect the skin.
Keep reading to learn what beta-glucans can do for your skin.
What Do Beta-Glucans Do For The Skin?
1. Hydrate The Skin
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Beta-glucans extracted from oats can hydrate and moisturize your skin. They can penetrate deep into the dermis (second layer of the skin), and reduce the skin roughness (2). It also increases the efficacy of the product.
Related: 10 Effective Ways To Moisturize Your Skin Naturally StyleCraze Trivia Beta-glucans are said to stimulate macrophages and other immune cells to fight against invading pathogens on the skin to boost immunity.
2. Reduce Signs Of Aging
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Oat-derived beta-glucan can rejuvenate the skin and minimize fine lines and wrinkles. It stimulates the fibroblast cells to promote collagen production and cell renewal process to tighten the skin and minimize crow’s feet in eight weeks to give you a youthful appearance (2).
3. Have Anti-Inflammatory Properties
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Beta-glucans derived from mushrooms have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (3). This might help alleviate inflammation caused by skin conditions like eczema, burns, wounds, and dermatitis. Beta-glucans play an important role in treating and preventing allergic reactions triggered by the immune system (4). These properties make them effective agents for soothing allergy symptoms like skin rashes, redness, and swelling.
Related: Skin Inflammation: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Treatment
4. Prevent UV Damage
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Excessive ultraviolet light exposure produces harmful free radicals in your body, one of the main factors that cause photodamage and photoaging. The antioxidative properties of beta-glucans protect the skin against free radical damages and prevent signs of aging, hyperpigmentation, and cell damage (1).
You can use beta-glucans orally and topically to reap their skin benefits (5). Here is how you can incorporate them into your daily routine.
Related: What Is Sun Damaged Skin? How To Deal With It?
How To Use Beta Glucans For Skin
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You can use serums, moisturizers, creams, and other skin care products with beta-glucans. You can also consume foods rich in beta-glucans to maintain your skin and overall health. You can eat:
- Oats
- Whole grains
- Seaweed
- Shiitake, maitake, and reishi mushrooms
- Barley
StyleCraze Says Beta-glucans are versatile and go well with other skin care ingredients. There have been no noted adverse interactions with other ingredients when used topically.
Beta-glucans are considered safe (both orally and topically)(5). They do not have any serious side effects unless you are allergic to them or any of the foods listed above. Let’s understand who can use or consume beta-glucans.
Who Should Use Them?
You can use topical (or oral) beta-glucans if you have:
- Dry and sensitive skin
- Mature skin
- Wrinkles, fine lines, and other aging signs
You can consume beta-glucans if you want to boost:
- Cardiovascular health
- Immune function
However, avoid consuming beta-glucans (through supplements or foods) if you have certain medical conditions like:
- Asthma (6)
- Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome by causing intestinal inflammation (7)
- Rheumatoid arthritis (8)
- Lupus (9)
- Multiple sclerosis (10)
This is because beta-glucans can further trigger the hyperactive immune system in people with these conditions.
Beta-glucans are dietary fibers that boost your immune system and are commonly used in cosmetic products. Studies suggest beta-glucans have anti-inflammatory properties and can soothe skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema. Additionally, they can reduce signs of aging by preventing skin dryness, and roughness. You can use beta-glucans for your skin as creams or consume foods such as oats or barley. Beta-glucans are ideal for people with sensitive, mature, or aging skin. However, people with asthma, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis should avoid them.
