How To Tell If Your Skin Barrier Is Damaged And How To Protect It?

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Are you aware of what the skin barrier is, what its function is, and what can cause damage to it?

There are several layers of skin on your body, each of which plays an important role in protecting you.

In the outer layer of your skin, known as the stratum corneum, there are tough cells called corneocytes which are held together by lipids that resemble mortar. This is known as the skin barrier.

In the absence of the skin barrier, various harmful environmental toxins and pathogens could penetrate your skin and cause adverse effects inside you [1].

Furthermore, without your skin barrier, water inside your body would escape and evaporate, leaving you dehydrated.

In essence, your skin barrier is an essential component of your overall health and must be protected to ensure the proper functioning of your body.

Is Your Skin Barrier Damaged? If So, How Can You Tell?

A compromised skin barrier may make you more susceptible to developing the following skin conditions and symptoms [2]:

• Dry, scaly skin
• Itchiness
• Rough or discoloured patches
• Acne
• Sensitive or inflamed areas
• Bacterial, viral, or fungal skin infections

How To Protect Your Skin Barrier?

1. Maintain a simple skin care regimen

Consider talking with a dermatologist or other skin care professional about which products will be most effective for your skin. If you are performing a complicated daily skin regimen involving a large number of products, you may be inadvertently weakening your skin barrier [3].

2. Use moisturisers containing hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, or glycerin

The common problem of dry skin is often addressed with moisturisers, which are often recommended as a solution. It is believed that occlusive moisturisers improve the skin barrier by reducing the amount of moisture lost from the skin [4].

Humectants are also capable of improving barrier function, just as occlusive moisturisers are. They leave a thin film on your skin, preventing moisture loss.

3. Pay attention to the pH level

The pH of your skin's acid mantle hovers around 4.7, but the pH of some skin care products can range from 3.7 to 8.2 [5].

A pH between 4.0 and 5.0 is recommended for cleansing. Keeping your skin's pH at a healthy level may help you prevent skin conditions like dermatitis, ichthyosis, acne, and Candida albicans infections. Although not all products list their pH, some do.

4. Restore your skin's barrier with plant oils

There are certain plant oils that may aid in the repair of the skin barrier, as well as prevent the skin barrier from losing moisture. Furthermore, many of these oils also have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.

Jojoba oil, almond oil, argan oil, borage oil, among others, are some of the most effective plant oils for the skin [6].

In addition, you can use creams and lotions that contain these oils as ingredients. You can also pour a small amount into your palm and massage it gently into your skin until it is absorbed.

5. Consider formulations containing ceramides

Ceramides are waxy lipids found in high concentrations in the stratum corneum, which help maintain the integrity of the skin barrier.

Ceramide-rich moisturisers may also strengthen the structure of your skin barrier, improving the symptoms of dryness, itching, and scaling associated with a poorly functioning barrier [7].

On A Final Note...

It is important to keep in mind that not all skincare ingredients work for everyone, which is why you may wish to try a few different products before deciding which one is best for keeping your skin healthy, protected, and moisturised.

A healthy skin barrier is your body's first line of defence against everything the environment can throw at you, so it is more than just a cosmetic issue.