Remember those days back in biology class? No? Well don’t worry – keratin is not as complicated as you may think.
Basically, keratin is a family of proteins that are among the most important and versatile compounds ever produced in nature.
Think of your hair, nails and skin as solid structures – like buildings, armor and carbon fiber – they’re all built for toughness and protection using keratin as the main component.
However, in the human body, unlike the industrial world of mechanics and machines, keratin can also help injured cells to heal and grow.
Now imagine having a building that could repair itself whenever it became damaged. It’s just a simple way of appreciating how important and amazing keratin really is.
Ever wondered what makes your skin waterproof?
Yes, you guessed it right…keratin.
You may have even seen keratin without knowing it was there in the first place. Rubbing and adding pressure to your skin can cause the outer layer to thicken, forming a protective callus.
The thick bit of skin at the edge of a blister and hard skin on the fingertips of musicians who play stringed instruments are all keratinized skin cells. In fact, they are constantly shed and replaced, even by microscopic pressure and rubbing.
The next time you see the guy in the elevator with dandruff on his collar and shoulders, don’t be grossed out…instead marvel at the fact that the white stuff is actually keratinized skin cells!
Especially when you consider that your hair is 95% keratin. This means that naturally occurring keratin needs to be incorporated into hair care products in order for them to be effective.
We’ll discuss the wonders of Keratin in more detail in the next blog entry.