A damaged skin barrier is a common problem faced by most of us, and it’s more common than you think.When we start getting skincare,we usually make some of the worst mistakes as a beginner. Those common skincare mistakes include over washing, over exfoliating and not moisturizing our oily skin properly.
Our skin produce more oils to overcompensate for the lack of hydration. This is a living nightmare for us because we don't need our skin to produce more oil if we already have oily skin.
How does our skin barrier start getting damaged?
When our skin starts to produce more oils due to weather or any other skin issues, it also gets tight, itchy, dehydrated, dull and breaks out in pimples.In this situation we often think that avoiding or not applying a moisturizer is the best choice as our skin has already become so much oily,this is how we make the situation more worse and make our skin more oilier.
If our skin barrier is healthy,it protects our skin from harmful pathogens and toxins that damages the skin.Our skin barrier is also redponsible for keeping our skin's moisture secure by preventing the evaporation of water from the epidermis to keep the skin hydrated,healthy and glowing.
A healthy skin barrier is also important because it guards our skin from getting damaged by the ultra violet rays that can cause issues like fine lines,premature ageing,wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.
All the skin issues that we face are actually related to the skin barrier,so knowing it well is so necessary for us to keep our skin healthy and problem free.
Why do we have a skin barrier and what it is?
For keeping the free radicals and intruders away our skin has the outer layer which is called the epidermis which is above the dermis.The other name of epidermis is stratum coreneum,it is made up like the structure of a brick wall,it keeps the harmful pathogens and toxins away from our skin and secures it from issues like,irritation,inflammation and infection.
Some facts about epidermis
➡The epidermis is made up of 15 to 20 layers of cells,dead skin cells called corneocytes.
➡Corneocytes are bound together like bricks and are glued in place by lipids containing essential nutrients that need to be in a certain proportion for your skin barrier to work correctly.
➡ These essential nutrients are: Ceramides (30%–50%) ,cholesterol 25%, and 10–20% free fatty acids. They are also referred to as your skin’s Natural Moisturizing Factors.
What is the function of skin barrier?
The skin barrier is responsible for keeping our skin safe from the free radicals like ultra violet rays and pollution.It is like a shield to protect us from environmental intruders that can damage our skin.It helps to provide the important nutrients to the skin that keeps and healthy.It keeps the skin plump and hydrated by preventing the transepidermal water loss.A skin barrier works like an immune and sensory organ that detects the infection,touch and temperature.It also produce new skin cells and contain melanin, used to determine your skin colour.
What factors can cause skin barrier damage
The major causes of our skin barrier damage are:
➡Too much exposure to sun,going out without a sunblock.
➡Over washing the face with harsh soaps or facial cleansers with drying ingredients.
➡Applying too many and unnecessary skincare products.
➡Unhealthy food.
➡Over exfoliation with granuled scrubs or AHAs or BHAs.
➡DIY Skincare
➡Physical damage from overusing harsh tools like Clarsonic brush or Derma roller
➡Lifestyle habits like:smoking, drinking alcohol, stress, lack of sleep.
➡Hot baths or showers.
➡Harsh Weather.
➡Aging,the skin barrier becomes vulnerable after age 45.
➡Genetics,skin conditions such as eczema and rosacea
➡Medical conditions like diabetes.
How to repair the skin barrier?
Our skin barrier is the shield that protects the skin from environmental attacks causing damage to it,for this we have to be wise enough to think that are we taking good care of our skin barrier or is it being neglected by us?If the skin barrier gets damaged it can be repaired and fixed by taking some steps but first we have to figure out the main cause of the damage,we have to find out where the things are getting wrong.
You have to consider the following points to think about what is damaging our skin barrier:
➡Are you over exfoliating or overwashing our face with products having drying agents?
➡Are you taking long hot baths?
➡Are you smoking?
➡Are you using any harmful acid peel?
Whatever you might have done, you need to figure it out before you can solve the problem at hand.When you are done figuring out what went wrong, you need to follow these steps:
1. Make your skincare routine simple:
To get healthy,clear and radiant skin we often start using so many skincare products thinking that they might help us achieve our goal fast,but in this way we actually damage our skin barrier.
We all are so much crazy about buying all the skincare stuff through advertisements or social media without thinking that are they good for our skin,is our skin going to accept the ingredients added in these products?These products often reacts badly and our skin gets irritated with so many other issues causing damage.Just keep in mind that all of these products are not for all of us.Use less products as much as you can and keep your focus on the basics like:cleanser,toner,moisturizer and sunscreen.
2. Always put on your moisturizer:
Moisturizers are our skin's best friend,never ever forget to apply them,because if we omit applying a moisturizer our skin gets dry and dehydrated that results in the damage of skin barrier.A damaged skin barrier is the cause of irritation and inflammation.The question is that which moisturizer is best for repairing a damaged skin barrier,for this look for the following ingredients before buying a moisturizer:
Ceramides are responsible for making about 30% to 50% of our epidermis and provides a protection to skin as our body's first layer against the environmental attacks.Ceramides are actually fatty acids also called lipids are found in our skin cells.They keep the skin moisturized and hydrated and protects it from transepidermal water loss.
Glycerin is the world's most famous and used hydrating humectant.It is obtained from animal fats and vegetable oils.It has the ability to attract water to the skin.It is also called glycerol.It is helpful for all skin types.
Hyaluronic acid hydrates the skin and increases the moisture level.It is naturally present in our skin,joints and eyes.It makes the skin soft,smooth,supple and healthy.
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3. Don’t Smoke:
Continuous smoking can make the skin get more wrinkles than the sun rays.Smoking dries the skin resulting in fine lines and wrinkles.Smoking affects negatively on both the epidermis and dermis of the skin by weakening the skin cells and damaging the barrier.
4. Do not over exfoliate:
Physical exfoliators like walnut scrubs or using too many acids like salicylic acid can be too drying and damaging for our skin.Scrubs can leave micro splits in our skin that results in skin barrier's damage and can be a cause of many issues like acne breakouts,dehydration,inflammation etc.
To repair the damage done to your skin barrier, we have to take a step back from exfoliating our skin with either scrubs or peels for some weeks.This will give the skin a break to heal itself naturally.
5. Never skip sunscreen:
Ultra violet rays are really harmful for our skin,they weakens the skin's power and makes it dry and dull.UV rays damages the skin's protein which is found in the outer layer of our skin and that makes the cells dispersed as they lose the capacity to stick together.These ultra violet rays can be the cause of issues like:scarring,infection,inflammation and cracking.
6. Eat healthy:
We all know that diet plays an important role in our overall health.Our skin barrier is made of lipids that actually consists about 10% to 20% fatty acids.Include such foods in your diet that provides all the fatty acids that can make our skin barrier strong and healthy.
➡ Foods rich in Omega 6 fatty acids such as: soybean, vegetable oil, corn, safflower, peanut butter, sunflower oil, avocado, meat and chicken and fish.
➡Foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids such as: Salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout,spinach, oysters, canola oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, and tofu.
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7. Do not wash your face with hot water:
Washing our face with too much hot water is so dangerous,it strips away all the skin's natural oils that makes the skin dry and rough that results in damaging the skin barrier, always wash your face with luke warm water.
Skin Barrier Repairing Ingredients:
These skincare ingredients can help us to repair our skin barrier,look for skincare products that have the following ingredients:
➡Hyaluronic acid, Ceramides, Squalene, Niacinamide, Urea, Glycerin, Aloe Vera, Vitamin E and Vitamin C, Probiotics, Fatty acids, Cholesterol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Petroleum, Copper Tripeptide, Urea, Licorice extract, Jojoba oil, Amino acids, Green tea, Oat extract, Zinc oxide, Hydrolyzed wheat protein.
The key takeaway:
Our skin barrier is our shield to protect the skin from damage that can be caused by external or internal attacks like weather or any health issues.If we don't pay attention to it or do not look after it,it will not be able to perform its job well,it will not be able to store moisture and keeping away the bacteria,which will result in issues like irritation,fine lines,hyperpigmentation etc.
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