Protective Skin Barrier

What is the skin barrier?

The skin barrier or stratum corneum is often visualized as a brick wall. The solid cells of the skin barrier are bound together by solution-like lipids, which give the structure the appearance of a "brick." These cells or "bricks" are composed of keratin and natural moisturizers. The lipid "mortar" consists of lipids, which in turn consist of fatty acids, cholesterol and ceramides. This barrier keeps out toxins, pathogens and irritants from the environment, and also protects against UV radiation. In addition, the skin barrier retains moisture in the skin.

Signs of a damaged skin barrier

Signs of a compromised skin barrier are usually sensitization, dryness, skin flaking or redness, sometimes also signs of premature aging, inflammatory conditions, itching and facial skin damage. So if your skin seems tight or dry, shiny but not oily, or even has hyperpigmentation or redness, your skin barrier may be compromised.

What causes skin damage?

In response to what can cause skin damage, we need to know that there are everyday environmental exposures that we cannot control. That's why we protect ourselves with preventative products and skin protection products when we need to repair skin damage.

Here's a list of the major stressors that cause skin barrier function disruption and skin damage:

• UV radiation. UV damage to the skin is a well-known environmental stressor that causes premature skin aging, but it also damages the skin's barrier function, among other serious potential problems.
• Environmental pollutants. Air pollution, tobacco smoke and other environmental stressors can increase free radical levels on the skin and impair skin function.
• Products with the wrong pH value. Products with a high pH value (alkaline) can weaken and damage the protective acid shell.
• Wash your face too often. Especially if you use aggressive scrubs.
• (Active) skin care ingredients. Fragrances, essential oils and other irritants in skin care products can compromise the skin's healthy barrier function. Overuse or misuse of active ingredients, such as retinol, can also cause damage.
• Diet. A balanced diet and healthy eating habits are very important for healthy skin.
• Stress. The relationship between stress and your skin is complex, and the effects of stress on your skin can be many and varied.  

How can the skin barrier be rebuilt?

If you can identify the causes contributing to damage to your skin barrier, you should address the factors mentioned. One skin protective cream alone is not enough to solve the problem. We need more than skin barrier repair products. A skin barrier repair procedure is necessary.

The question of how long it takes to restore the skin barrier varies from person to person, and it often takes some time before the damage is corrected. To repair the skin barrier, we need to look at our lifestyle and pay attention to skin care for the damaged barrier. A protective cream can help moisturize the skin, but the skin also needs repair.