Skin Barriers And How To Protect And Repair Them

What are skin barriers and why are they important?

The human skin barrier also called the oil or lipid barrier is the outermost layer of the skin. It protects the skin from all forms of external forces. This outer layer, also called the stratum corneum, consists of cells that are bound together by lipids. These lipids are what protect the skin from external factors that can irritate the skin.

Factors That Can Lead To Damaged Skin Barriers

There are a series of factors that can cause damage to the skin barrier such as environmental factors, harsh skincare products, etc., and sometimes, the effects may look like they will be there forever. However, in this article, we will be sharing what a skin barrier is, its benefits, how to know if the skin is being damaged, and how to repair the skin barrier.

Some of these factors include

• Scorchiness of the sun
• A too-dry or humid environment
• Pollutants and irritants
• Chemicals
• Skincare products
• Over-washing of the skin, and so on

When any of these factors come in contact with the skin barrier, it protects them from having direct contact with the skin and either reduce their intensity or even prevent them from having any effect on the skin.

Causes of Skin Barrier Damage

The skin barrier, however, is slightly acidic. This acidity helps it protect the skin against harmful organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. If the skin barrier is unable to protect the skin from any of these or other factors, it can lead to skin infections and other skin conditions.

The skin barrier despite its benefits can also damage due to many factors such as

• Aging
• Seasonal changes
• Overwashing the skin or over-exfoliating
• Using harsh skincare products
• Overexposure to UV rays,
• Stress and other health conditions

These are just some of what causes damage to the skin barrier among others.

Symptoms of Damaged Skin Barrier

Some common symptoms of a damaged skin barrier include

• Dryness
• Acne
• Itchiness
• Infections
• Rough patches
• Irritation
• Redness

How to Protect Your Skin Barrier with 5 Simple Habits

Given the benefits of having a healthy skin barrier, it is very important to always keep your skin barrier healthy all the time. However, in cases where your skin barriers are at risk of getting damaged, it is necessary to know how you can quickly correct this imbalance and reclaim a healthy skin barrier.

Here are five ways you can repair a damaged skin barrier:

Refrain From Using Harsh Products on Your Skin

The first step to repairing your damaged skin is to stop using any form of product that leave irritating or harsh effects on your skin. A lot of skin care products contain ingredients that are harsh on the skin and as a result damage the skin barrier. Some ingredients you should avoid in your skincare products are alcohol, fragrances, retinoids, etc. In addition, if you notice any product portraying any harsh effect on your skin, stop using the products and lose for products that are mild on the skin.

Cleanse Gently With a Ph-Balanced Cleanser

Most skin products have a pH ranging from 3.7 to 8.2, while normal human skin has a pH of around 4.7. However, research showed that using cleansing products with a pH ranging from 4.0 to 5.0 s the best for human skin. However, when you use a cleansing product with a pH level too low or too high, this will cause an unhealthy reaction with the skin and cause the barrier to wear off.

You can switch to non-foaming, PH-balanced body cleansers as they will preserve the oily barrier on the skin, unlike harsh ones that will only strip the skin of its natural oils.

Use Moisturizers Containing Occlusive Humectants Ingredients

One of the common symptoms of a damaging skin barrier is the frequent dryness of the skin. Once the skin is dry, the common effect is frequent itching and scaling. However, the solution to this condition is by using moisturizers.

Moisturizers work by trapping the moisture in the skin. Dryness occurs when moisture evaporated from the body into the atmosphere, but when moisturizer is used, the moisture is prevented from evaporating. This helps your skin retain as much as 99% of its moisture. Humectants also help in moisturizing the skin by absorbing moisture from the environment (or your body) and binding it to the skin barrier. Products such as glycerin, urea, hyaluronic acid, honey, etc. are recommended.

Adjust Your Diets

There is no doubt that what we eat always has effects on our health. Skin health is not left out when it comes to our diet. Eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy food combinations can greatly help in repairing a damaged skin barrier. Drinking lots of water is also important as water moisturizes the body. Drinking water will also help you flush out the toxins accumulating in your body and provide your body with the optimum moisture needed to keep the skin healthy.

Managing Stress

Another way of repairing your skin barrier is limiting stress-induced activities. This is because stress hormones affect the skin barrier by reducing the epidermal lipids protecting the skin barrier and increasing the rate at which moisture leaves the body. This shows that stress has a damaging effect on the skin. However, incorporating stress-management techniques such as Yoga, or meditation can help repair your skin barrier. This is better along with increased moisture intake.

Conclusion

Many factors can lead to a damaged skin barrier, such as using harsh products, stress, or environmental factors. However, knowing how to repair the skin barrier can only be possible by known methods such as using gentle skin care products, improving diets, reducing stressful activities, and so on will help protect the skin. And knowing the cause of your damaged skin barrier will help you know exactly what to do to reclaim your healthy skin barrier. If you have any concerns about your skin, you should visit your dermatologist or other skincare professionals.

Sharing is caring. Spread some love by sharing this post. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date and unlock the secrets to a beautiful you.