Your skin barrier protects your body from free radicals. Harsh environments are often the cause of damage. Keep it protected using oils, ceramides, and more.
Beauty boutique and drugstore shelves are packed with products that aim to protect and rejuvenate your skin. Some of them exfoliate, some plump, and others moisturize.
All these products share the fact that they act on your body’s outermost layer, which is called the skin barrier.
But what exactly is your skin barrier, what’s its purpose, and what can cause damage?
In this article, we’ll help answer those questions and also explore the steps you can take to protect and restore this vital defensive layer.
Your skin is made up of layers, each of which performs important functions in protecting your body.
The outermost layer, called the stratum corneum, is often
Inside the skin cells, or “bricks,” you’ll find keratin and natural moisturizers. The lipid layer contains:
- cholesterol
- fatty acids
- ceramides
This fantastically thin brick wall is literally
Additionally, without your skin barrier, the water inside your body would escape and evaporate, leaving you completely dehydrated.
Your skin barrier is essential for your overall health and needs to be protected to help your body function properly.
Daily, your skin defends against a barrage of threats, many of which come from outside your body, and a few come from within.
Some of the external and internal factors that can affect your skin barrier include:
- too humid or too dry environment
- allergens, irritants, and pollutants
- too much sun exposure
- alkaline detergents and soaps
- exposure to harsh chemicals
- over-exfoliation or over-washing
- steroids
psychological distress - genetic factors that may make you more prone to certain skin conditions like atopic dermatitis and psoriasis
The role of the acid mantle
Your skin barrier is slightly acidic. This acidity (the
It’s especially important to protect the acid mantle around wounds since the skin’s acidity is necessary for many of the biological interactions that occur during the healing process.
Sometimes, a health condition like diabetes or incontinence can change your skin’s acidity, weakening this buffer. For people with these conditions, experts
When your skin barrier is not functioning properly, you may be more prone to developing the following skin symptoms and conditions:
- dry, scaly skin
- itchiness
- rough or discolored patches
- acne
- sensitive or inflamed areas
- bacterial, viral, or fungal skin infections
Given the importance of maintaining your skin barrier and acid mantle, what can you do to keep them both healthy and functional? Let’s look at five strategies that can help.
Simplify your skin care routine
If you’re performing a complicated daily skin regimen involving a basketful of products, you may be inadvertently weakening your skin barrier. Consider talking with a dermatologist or another skin care professional about which products are essential and most effective.
If you’re exfoliating, notice how your skin reacts to the method you use. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, those with sensitive skin and darker skin tones may want to use a soft cloth and a mild chemical exfoliant.
Some types of scrubs and brushes may temporarily damage your skin barrier.
Pay attention to pH
Your skin’s delicate acid mantle hovers around a
Researchers recommend cleansing with a product that has a
Keeping your skin’s pH at a healthy level may help protect you from skin conditions like dermatitis, ichthyosis, acne, and Candida albicans infections. Although not all products list their pH, some do.
Try a plant oil to replenish your skin barrier
Some of the most effective plant oils to consider using on your skin include:
There are many ways you can use plant oils on your skin.
You can apply creams and lotions that contain one or more of these oils as an ingredient. Or you can pour a small amount of the oil into the palm of your hand and then massage it gently into your skin until it’s absorbed.
Look for formulations that include ceramides
Ceramides are waxy lipids found in especially high concentrations in the stratum corneum. They are crucial for making sure your skin barrier functions properly.
Ceramide moisturizers may be especially helpful if you have acne. In acne-prone skin, the barrier is often impaired, and acne treatments can leave skin dry and reddened. Products containing ceramides may also help protect darker skin. According to a
Try moisturizers containing hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, or glycerin
Dry skin is a common problem, and moisturizers are the often-recommended solution.
An occlusive moisturizer aids the skin barrier by reducing the amount of water loss from your skin. These products leave a thin film on your skin that helps prevent moisture loss.
One of the most frequently recommended occlusive moisturizers is petrolatum, which
Like occlusive moisturizers, humectants can also improve barrier function. Humectants work by drawing water — either from the environment or from inside your body — and binding it into the skin barrier.
How to useGently apply moisturizer to your skin immediately after you get out of the shower, when your skin is moist.
Not all skin care ingredients work for everyone. That’s why you may want to try a few different products to determine which one works best for keeping your skin healthy, protected, and well moisturized.
The outermost layer of your skin, known as your skin barrier, defends your body against environmental threats while simultaneously protecting your body’s critical water balance.
Symptoms such as dryness, itching, and inflammation can alert you to a disturbance in this important barrier.
You can help repair your skin’s barrier by:
- simplifying your skin care regimen
- using products with a suitable pH
- using a moisturizer that contains ceramides or a humectant like hyaluronic acid
Moisturizers with petrolatum can also help your skin barrier seal in moisture.
Your skin barrier is your body’s frontline defense against everything the environment can throw at you. Keeping it healthy is much more than a cosmetic concern.