How to tell if your skin barrier is damaged or not and what to do about it

Complete guide of skin barrier damage, what are the most common signs for damaged skin barrier, and how to properly repair this for better, healthy, and hydrated skin.

All you need to know about skin barrier:

Skin barrier refers to the lipid matrix which is found on the outermost layer of our skin. This skin barrier is responsible for defending our body against any environmental threats and it also protects the critical water balance in our body. It is a very important part to lock the moisture of our skin and to keep out all the external irritants.

The skin barrier mainly contains three layers, epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous fat layer.

1. Epidermis: This is the outermost layer of the skin which is sensitive and vulnerable. External irritants can easily damage the epidermis layer. It mainly contains 3 types of cells, Keratinocytes, Melanocytes, and Langerhan cells.

2. Dermis: This is the middle layer of our skin which contains collagen, elastin the skin’s nerve, and blood supply.

3. Subcutaneous fat layer: This is the last layer, it makes with the fat of our body and it functions as a barrier between skin and muscle.

What is the damaged skin barrier and what are the problems?

When some cracks occur on the skin barrier, it results in the escape of moisture from our skin and makes the skin damaged. It causes various skin problems, like, redness, itchiness, damaged and dehydrated skin, and much more.

Skin barriers are designed very delicately, it can easily get damaged by external effects. The main reasons for its damage are heat, UV rays, bacteria, harmful chemicals, negligence, and most importantly pollution. Nowadays growing pollution levels and environmental effects are the main reasons which can easily make skin damaged and can cause various skin-related problems. So everyone needs to keep their skin healthy and take good care of it every day.

If the proper skincare measure is not taken then skin may easily lose elasticity of its own, and get dull, rough, and flaky. Damaged skin is also unable to maintain a proper and intact skin barrier. The damage leaves the skin more vulnerable to external damage and more problems can occur.

How to tell if the skin barrier is actually damaged or not?

Skin barrier damage does not take place in a single day, or it does not happen within some minute. It is the result of our own negligence towards our own skin. There are many early symptoms of skin barrier damage. Here we will discuss briefly all the symptoms of skin barrier damage. If anyone is having any symptoms like these, they should start skincare treatment properly before any further damage.

1. Abnormal redness on the skin can be an early symptom of skin barrier damage. Sometimes overheating can cause skin inflammation but damage to the skin barrier can cause more inflammation than normal. The damaged skin barrier allows irritants and allergens to sneak through the layer and get into the skin easily, and it causes extreme inflammation which results in redness on the skin.

2. Damaged skin barriers often cause skin irritation and extreme itchiness.

3. If the skin becomes dull and dehydrated very often, it is a sign of skin barrier damage. Damaged skin barrier results in water loss, which leads to moisture loss from the skin. It leaves the skin dry, rough, and flaky.

4. Hyperpigmentation can also be an early sign. Damaged skin can cause more blemishes, acne, and hyperpigmentation. Traditional acne-fighting ingredients, like benzoyl peroxide, tend to dry out the skin and it can cause more acne for damaged skin. People often use a scrub or any other method to prevent acne which causes more problems with a damaged skin barrier. It can be a total mess if proper care is not taken.

5. Often skin infections and abnormal delays in wound healing can be the symptoms of damage to the skin barrier. Damaged skin becomes more vulnerable and easily affected by bacteria. So if anyone gets skin infections easily then they should take proper care of their skin to repair their damaged skin barrier.

6. Rosacea and eczema can be caused by any genetic defect of the skin barrier, but outside damage of the skin barrier can increase the problem of these.

These were some of the very common and prompt symptoms of skin barrier damage.

What are the things which can easily damage the skin barrier?

Below are some of the factors that can easily damage our skin barrier and cause various problems in our daily life.

1. Pollution: Pollution has a never-ending list of hurdles to our life. This is one of the biggest enemies of human life. The inflammation caused due to pollution impacts the skin in a large way leading to pigmentation, allergic skin, ageing and so on. This enormous amount of pollution is the biggest threat to our skin. It can easily make our skin dehydrated and make it dull.

2. UV rays: We all know that sun rays contain harmful UV rays. This ray is extremely harmful to our skin. If a person stays outside for a long time without any protection, then they expose their skin to the UV rays for a long time. And this can easily damage our skin barrier really fast. Dark spots, dull and dehydrated skin, wrinkles, and actinic keratosis are the common results of exposure to UV rays.

3. Frequent face wash with harsh chemical-based products: Nowadays in our busy lifestyle we all are surrounded by chemical-based products because of their ease of use and simple application procedure. But these chemical-based products can significantly harm our skin and can make it damaged and dull. So frequent face wash by using these chemical-based products can easily make the skin damaged without cleaning it. It also can strip the skin barrier and can take out its all-natural oils.

4. Frequent skin exfoliation: Skin exfoliation can be a good thing to do only if it is done with the proper time interval. Frequent skin exfoliation can lead to damage to the skin barrier. Exfoliating acids can harm the skin badly, and the use of any harsh exfoliators should be avoided as they can significantly cause serious damage to the skin barrier.

5. Smoking and lack of sleep: In this busy lifestyle most people smoke to avoid tension. As a result, smoking causes more hurdles in life. Smoking is not only injurious to health but also causes severe damage to our skin. And lack of sleep can make this damage grow rapidly. So people should avoid smoking and should get proper sleep every day in order to get a better life and better skin.

These all are the common things that cause skin damage. People should avoid or at least try to avoid all these things.

How to treat damaged skin barriers and get healthy skin?

Proper care can heal anything. No matter how much or how badly anyone’s skin barriers get damaged, proper treatment, proper skincare routine, and proper skin products can heal the damaged skin and can make it healthy, hydrated, and glowing again. Below are some of the practices which can treat damages caused to the skin barriers.

1. Proper skincare routine: Everyone should have a proper skincare routine, which they need to maintain daily for best results. Skin is one of the most gentle and delicate parts. It is very important to make this healthy and clean it properly. People should avoid dust, heat, and pollution for quick results.

2. Skin cleanser: Skin cleanser is very important to clean the skin properly. This is the very first step of the skincare routine. People should choose an effective skin cleanser that will be mild and which does not have any harsh chemical in its composition. A skin cleanser will effectively remove the dirt particles and all the remnants of pollution from the skin, and a gentle skin cleanser will also effectively protect the natural oils of the skin barrier. The skin cleanser will also gently remove the makeup as well. One should also go for a double cleansing if they have many products on their skin.

3. Moisturizer: The biggest problem of damaged skin is that it loses moisture quickly and becomes dehydrated. To prevent moisture loss it is of utmost importance to have a good moisturizer for the skin. A skin serum will also work fine for skin moisturizing. It helps to protect the skin from dehydration. A good skin moisturizer or skin serum should include ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin in its ingredient list. These ingredients are very effective to lock the skin moisture and prevent it from dehydration. It also helps to make the skin acne-free and smooth.

4. SPF protection: It is not possible or feasible for someone to stay in the house all day long. People need to leave the house, and so do their jobs. But the exposure to the sun can harm the skin within just a little time. So it is very important to use SPF protection for the skin to protect it from harmful UV rays.

5. Balanced pH: pH is a very important factor in our skin. The normal pH of our skin is at around 5.7. But in the market we can easily find most skincare products ranging from 3.7 to 8.2 pH. This imbalance of pH can cause various problems for our skin. It is recommended that a person should carefully choose a skin product that is close to our normal skin pH.

These are some of the ways anyone can opt for a proper skin care routine. We advise every person to regularly maintain this skincare routine for better and quick results.

The product that a person can choose to treat damaged skin barriers:

With proper skincare, a person also should choose the skincare product very carefully. Here will have listed some skincare products which a person can include in their skincare routine to treat damaged skin barriers.

1. Plant-based oil: There is some plant-based oil that can be used for treating damaged skin barriers effectively. Plant oil also prevents dehydration, makes skin soft and smooth. These oils are also antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and work as an antioxidant for the skin. These oils should be a part of the skincare routine for those who want to treat their damaged skin barrier quickly. These oils are Jojoba oil, Coconut oil, Almond oil, Argan oil, borage oil, and Rosehip oil. One just needs to pour a little amount of oil on their palm and massage the oil gently into their skin.

2. Ceramides moisturizer: Moisturizer is an important part of the skincare routine. Ceramides moisturizers can work even better. Aveeno Skin Relief Intense Moisture Repair Cream can be a good choice, as it includes ceramides, oat flour, and oat oil extracts. This cream effectively protects the skin barrier. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream has 3 essential ceramides in it, so it can also be a good choice for skin treatment. Majestic Pure Tea Tree Oil Face Cream has 5% tea tree oil and ceramides as its ingredient, which makes this cream the best fit for acne-prone skin.

3. Hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, or glycerin-based moisturizer: Dry skin is a common problem for damaged skin barriers. It is important to use hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, or glycerin-based moisturizer to prevent skin from getting dry. CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion with Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer can be handy to treat dry skin. It is also very lightweight, which makes it perfect for regular use. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Body Gel Cream is an affordable choice, this is also a lightweight moisturizer that comes with a gel-like base. It can be a great choice for skin.

Conclusion: 

Our outline skin is very important to us. It works as a protector for our bodies. Everyone should take proper care of the skin barrier. A healthy skin barrier will give glowing, soft, and smooth skin, which will be acne-free and hydrated. Everyone wants good skin, so everyone should follow a proper skincare routine in order to have good skin.