![]() ![]() Optimal hydration of the skin is one of those things that is pretty important for skin health. Put simply, it stops water in the skin from evaporating out of the skin (and also makes sure your expensive hydrating skincare products actually work!). By “sealing” the skin, the skin barrier helps prevent a phenomenon called transepidermal water loss. You’re not able to access the cell turnover support you need (exfoliating ingredients support healthy skin cell turnover), which can leave results on the tableĪnd lastly, the skin barrier is essential for keeping your skin hydrated.These products can cause inflammatory sensitization reactions (aka your skin burns, turns red, and becomes dry, flaky, and dehydrated, maybe with little bumps).Reduced skin barrier function can make us too sensitive to these ingredients, meaning: And while we want a healthy amount of active ingredients to get deep into the skin, more is not always better - especially when it comes to exfoliating actives. This can have some pretty negative effects on skin health (we’ll get into more of the specifics in a bit).Ī depleted skin barrier also means more of your active skincare ingredients (like alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids or retinoids) get deeper into the skin. Here, they can influence the health of the deeper skin anatomy, like the: When our skin barrier isn’t functioning optimally, these foreign invaders can enter through the top layer of the skin into the deeper layers of the skin. This is super important for healthy skin. bacteria, viruses, etc.), and pollutants from entering the skin, while still allowing nutrients to pass through. By “sealing” the skin surface, the skin barrier prevents large foreign allergenic proteins, microbes (i.e. The skin barrier’s main role is to protect the skin from outside invaders. It’s made up of fatty acids, cholesterol, and ceramides, all of which contribute to the barrier function. The skin barrier, also known as the acid mantle, is the outermost protective layer of the skin. Let’s get into it! What is the skin barrier? So, I thought it only fitting that we have a blog post dedicated to the skin barrier and its relationship to acne + tips you can use to start repairing your skin barrier today. It’s something that I’ve personally seen make a huge impact in the people I work with. ![]() To me, supporting the skin barrier is probably one of the most important aspects of healing and preventing breakouts. Not only have I been fascinated by how responsive the skin barrier is to our environment and what we put on our skin, but the health of our skin barrier (according to my research) is hugely influential for acne. The skin barrier is something I’ve been super passionate about and something I’ve invested a lot of time into learning and understanding. I think every one of us estheticians are happy to see that happening because its such a core aspect of our practice! As board-certified dermatologist Dana Stern, MD, previously told Cosmo, “Ceramide levels decrease significantly as we age, and so our skin’s ability to hold onto moisture eventually becomes compromised.” Still, regardless of the cause, if you've got flaky, dry, sensitive skin RN, you'll want to check out the following barrier creams and read the advice from board-certified dermatologists Jenny Liu, MD, and Nava Greenfield, MD, below.I’m so happy the skin barrier has become more mainstream as of late. Any time my skin isn't looking or feeling its best, I smooth on a barrier-repairing cream, and my skin looks back to its normal, happy, healthy self within a few days.Įven if you're better-ahem, smarter-with skincare experimentation than I am, your skin will still get compromised from time to time, because everything from sun exposure to simply living your life (aka aging) can cause a weakened skin barrier. But maybe I would've learned my lesson if I hadn't heard of the miracle that is barrier cream. And guess where that leaves me? With dry, itchy, red, inflamed skin. Honestly, when is my skin barrier not messed up? I have a nasty habit of bouncing from one harsh skincare ingredient to another aggressive skincare product without giving my face any time to adjust. ![]()
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