Skin Barrier - Sunscreen, why it's so important

Who hasn't heard the term "skin barrier" thrown around endlessly when researching the latest skincare products? What exactly is this "barrier" and why is it important?

The following will teach you about our skin's first line of defense, which we must carefully protect and love.

What is the skin barrier?

Our skin is divided into three main layers: the epidermis (outermost layer), the dermis (middle layer), and the hypodermis (bottom layer). The skin barrier is the most superficial layer of the epidermis, which works to protect our skin from external irritants and also to prevent moisture loss from our skin.

The skin barrier is often depicted as a brick structure. The bricks represent our skin cells, and the mortar the lipid layer that holds our skin cells together and keeps them intact. These components act as the first line of defense for our skin to function normally.

Bricks: keratinocytes (skin cells), natural moisturizing factors

Mortar: Ceramide, free fatty acids, cholesterol

What damages the skin barrier?

When the integrity of this structure is altered, it results in a continuous loss of moisture from our skin and the entry of irritants. This condition is called a damaged skin barrier. There are many factors that can affect the integrity of this skin barrier structure.

Biological factors

For example, the factor may be biological. Some people may be more genetically predisposed to experience skin barrier damage as their bodies do not produce enough elements to create a strong skin barrier.

External factors

However, a major factor that has contributed to damage in recent times is the rise of external irritants. This can include conditions that we cannot control, such as extreme weather and pollution. However, in most cases of external irritants, the biggest culprit is our own skin care habits!

Some skincare habits that can irritate the skin include using too many active ingredients at once, over-washing your face, over-exfoliating, over-moisturizing, or piling on potentially irritating products in one routine.

What are the symptoms of injury?

When your skin barrier is compromised, you may experience one or more of these symptoms:

Dry or flaky skin

Itch

Reactions to products that have been used without problems in the past

Extreme shine on the skin with an uncomfortable tight feeling

Redness/rash

Exaggerated acne and texture

If you answered yes to these points, there is a high chance that your skin barrier has been compromised! To prevent further damage and restore your barrier, do the following.

How to repair the skin barrier:

Step 1: Identify the problem

Focus on controlling and eliminating any triggers first. Take a step back and try to figure out what you've recently changed in your skincare routine.

Have you tried new strong active ingredients? Have you washed your face a little too much? Or have you overexfoliated your skin? Finding out any triggers can help you control and then eliminate them from your routine to prevent further damage.

Step 2: Go back to basics

Then use a minimal amount of products and adopt a simple skincare routine that only consists of cleansing, moisturizing and protection!

Step 3: Wait.

Be patient and let your skin heal. Your skin has a good self-repair mechanism. Trust what your skin is capable of and let it do its job at its own pace!

Step 4: Repair

Finally, you'll want to use skincare products that support skin healing. Let's discuss the ingredients you should look for!

Barrier-repairing ingredients

These skincare ingredients can help your skin heal by retaining more water and replacing gaps in your barrier component as it heals itself. Here are some popular examples!

Conserve water:

Hyaluronic acid

Honey

Panthenol

Shea butter

Squalene

Glycerin

Skin barrier component replacement:

Ceramides

Fatty acids

Cholesterol

How long does it take to repair the barrier function?

This depends largely on the degree of damage. However, as a rule of thumb, this process can take anywhere from days to weeks for your skin to fully repair itself. So it's really important that you are patient and trust the healing process.

Sunscreen protects, prevents and maintains the health of your skin.
It's not just for beach trips – it's daily skincare.