An intact skin barrier is essential for beautiful and plump skin, and so is the efficacy of all of your treatments. Taking care of your skin barrier is like taking care of the holy ground. After all, the skin is the largest organ in your body.
Some products claim to rejuvenate, repair, brighten, and do many more things to our skin. However, they can only do much damage if used correctly.
When purchasing skincare/skincare products, it is crucial to understand our skin types, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Table of Contents
What is a skin barrier, and what is its function?
Your skin cells’ outermost layer consists of the stratum corneum and the lipid matrix (ceramide, fatty acids, and lipids). It is usually described as a brick wall where the stratum corneum is the bricks, and the lipid matrix is the mortar.
The skin’s barrier is slightly acidic (acid mantle) and protects the body from environmental stressors such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, which can penetrate the body and lead to various skin infections.
Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is the process of water loss from the body through the epidermis. The skin barrier protects the body from excessive TEWL.
Causes of a skin barrier damage
Damages to the skin barrier may be a result of several reasons, but the most common causes are:
- Over exfoliating
- Age
- Smoking
- The environment, such as harsh weather conditions, central heating, and air conditioners
- Allergens and pollutants
- Too much sun exposure
- Stress
Signs of a damaged skin barrier
Your skin barrier is probably dying for some TLC if you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms:
- Dry, flaky skin
- It could potentially be oilier than usual
- The skin feels super sensitive
- Redness
- Irritation when products are applied
- Itchiness
- Dehydration
- Acne
How to fix a damaged skin barrier
At this point, I’m confident that you are asking yourself, is it possible to repair my skin barrier? How long will it take to repair it, and how can I improve my skin barrier? Fortunately, I am a bearer of good news, and yes, it can be fixed. However, good things come to those who wait and are patient. The skin barrier restores itself every two to four weeks, but you can do a few things to make the process faster.
1. Back to basics skin regimen
Don’t overload your skincare routine with serums and actives, as too many actives irritate your skin and cause reactions, further damaging your skin barrier. Choose a hydrating and non-irritating face wash to restore your skin’s balance. Adding serums containing lipids and ceramides will restore your skin’s barrier function.
2. Avoid scrubs by all means.
You should not be using scrubs on your face in the first place. Every time you use them, they cause injuries to your skin through microtears. They can be detrimental to the skin on your face and do more harm than good; there are better ways of exfoliating. If you have a damaged skin barrier, steer away from them because it will weaken and damage your skin. The goal is to restore and repair, not destroy.
3. Check the pH of your products.
Be wary of the pH of products, especially with cleansers, because they are the biggest culprits. The skin’s pH is between 4.7 and 5.75; choose cleaners within that range to restore balance to your skin. When the skin’s pH is balanced, you will avoid several skin conditions that may further damage your skin barrier.
4. Choose replenishing ingredients for a healthier skin barrier.
Skincare ingredients like ceramides and lipids for skin healing, dimethicone, a more modern alternative to petrolatum, and humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to draw moisture into the skin can be incorporated into your skin regimen to fasten the healing process.
Use fragrance-free, alcohol-free, and essential oil-free formulations because they sensitize the skin.
Niacinamide is a beneficial ingredient. It can grow the lipid barrier and is typically found in serums and moisturizers.
5. Remember to use sunscreen everyday
This is a delicate time for your skin; sun exposure can only worsen everything. Use physical sunscreens that contain zinc oxide because it is anti-inflammatory and filled with antioxidants.
Chemical sunscreens, especially those with oxybenzone, can further sensitize the skin because of the mechanism in which they protect your skin from UV rays.
6. Watch your diet
You are what you eat. A healthy balanced diet can pull an entire 360 on your skin. Increase your water intake (8+ glasses a day), and don’t forget to take your greens and vitamins.
7. Hydrate your skin
All skin needs hydration. Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, urea, and propylene glycol are some of the most effective humectants you can use. You will find these ingredients in many skincare products. It is incredibly crucial to distinguish between hydrating and moisturizing. Hydrating increases the absorption of nutrients and moisture into your skin cells, while moisturizing locks in moisture. Both are fundamental to repairing your skin barrier.
8. Cut out all alkali soaps
Alkali soaps strip the skin of all its oils and throw off the pH of the skin. You can counter this by using cleansers that are pH balanced, and they take away all the hydration in your skin and damage it. Even after your skin barrier is repaired, avoid them by all means.
9. Give your actives a break
Until your skin barrier is repaired, avoid actives. Sit back from using your AHA’s, BHA’s, PHA’s, and Vitamin A because they can dry your skin and make the damage even worse. Dehydrated skin can also lead to acne; you want to avoid that because it will further damage your skin barrier. Check out my post on the best treatments to get rid of acne if you suffer from breakouts.
10. Incorporate antioxidants in your skin
Antioxidants should already be a part of your skincare regimen; they are the gift that keeps giving. They help to protect your skin from free radicals that cause oxidative stress and damage healthy skin cells. Apart from protecting your skin they can control wrinkles and fine lines at bay and brighten the skin by reducing hyperpigmentation.
The takeaway
Prevention is better than cure when taking care of your skin. Avoid doing too much and over-exfoliating because one day, your skin can react, resulting in a compromised skin barrier.
When incorporating actives, layer them properly and limit the number of actives you use.
Every once in a while, step back a little from treatments and give your skin a break; it will thank you. Always remember to visit your dermatologist regularly. They are your best friend and can solve almost any skin condition.
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