In this article:
Skin barrier function
How to tell if you have a damaged skin barrier
What does skin barrier damage look like?
What causes a damaged skin barrier?
How to repair skin barrier
How do you treat your skin barrier to protect it from damage?
The skin barrier’s quick, meteoric rise to mainstream skin care fame is almost unmatched. Think about it: did you see the term on product packaging, peppered into online videos or even in mainstream beauty publications ten, even five, years ago?
Due to the nature and the speed at which conversations about the skin barrier have come to dominate the skin care sphere, there have been a few misunderstandings about the skin barrier, what it does, and which skin care products best help preserve it. We’re here to weed through the piles of claims and debunk misinformation to unearth skin barrier truths so you can make the most informed decisions for your skin. Let’s get started!
Skin barrier function
The primary job of your skin’s barrier is to keep damaging elements out and balanced hydration in (1). Seems simple, but many of us unknowingly do things each day that weaken this barrier. The result? Sensitised, irritated and dehydrated skin. A disrupted barrier is the hidden source of many skin problems, but using the right barrier-repairing products can turn all of that around! Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman says that the skin barrier has an essential function. It maintains the moisture in the skin and protects its structural integrity which keeps environmental toxins out.
Skin’s moisture barrier is part of what’s known as the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the epidermis. Although “barrier” implies an almost impenetrable shield, skin’s barrier is also permeable, meaning it allows some compounds to pass though. This permeability is how many skin care ingredients work their magic and is controlled by lipids known as ceramides, which make up 50% of skin’s barrier. Ceramides are smart ingredients: they serve as messengers and watchdogs, only letting in what they deem good for skin while helping keep the bad stuff out (2, 3).
Skin cells are tightly organised with ceramides, cholesterol, other fatty acids and enzymes in a brick-and-mortar style, with the bricks being skin cells and the mortar being the ceramides and fatty acids, which also play a role in helping skin cells to shed normally (3).
How to tell if you have a damaged skin barrier
A damaged skin barrier almost always involves some degree of dry, flaky or scaly skin, a consequence of ceramide depletion. Without those ceramides, skin’s guard comes down, leading to signs of sensitivity, redness, itching and a dull, depleted look. Your skin may start reacting negatively to products that previously gave you no problem. It can also become more reactive to UV light, wind, cold temperatures, and other environmental threats (3, 4). If you’re experiencing any of these, it’s time for skin barrier repair.
What does skin barrier damage look like?
A damaged skin barrier can present in a few visual ways. As we mentioned above, some telltale signs are dryness, flakiness or scaly skin. Another visual cue that something might not be quite right with skin’s barrier is the appearance of redness. Due to the dryness associated with an unhealthy skin barrier, dryness-related wrinkles might also be a way of telling whether you’re dealing with barrier damage or not.
Beyond look, a damaged skin barrier can cause quite an uncomfortable feeling, including tightness, burning, tingling and itchiness (5, 6).
What causes a damaged skin barrier?
The main contributors to skin barrier damage are using drying, irritating skin care products, such as those that contain high amounts of denatured alcohol, exposing skin to hot or cold water, harsh cleansing agents, environmental exposure without adequate protection (think sunscreen and lots of antioxidants) and alkaline products, such as traditional bar soaps (7, 8, 9).
A healthy diet matters, too: just as taking an oral supplement with replenishing ingredients can strengthen skin’s barrier from the outside in, eating a range of nutritious foods also plays a role in maintaining resilient, healthy-looking skin. You should also watch that alcohol intake: research shows excess alcohol consumption damages skin’s barrier from the inside out (10).
How to repair skin barrier
Skin’s barrier isn’t as difficult to repair as you might think. Doing so involves giving skin back the ingredients it needs to thrive, protecting it from environmental damage and, most important, treating it gently (4). Here’s an example routine consisting of skin barrier repair products:
- Step 1: Cleanse with a fragrance- and soap-free gentle cleanser suitable for your skin type.
- Step 2: Apply an alcohol-free replenishing toner rich in fatty acids (such as linoleic acid) and soothing ingredients.
- Step 3: Apply an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) or beta hydroxy acid (BHA) leave-on exfoliant to improve skin texture, unclog pores and enhance hydration (11). It’s a myth that well-formulated AHA or BHA exfoliants thin skin’s barrier; in fact, gentle exfoliants can enhance barrier performance. It should be noted however, irritation can occur when in-office peels using high amounts of acids are done too frequently or at the same time as at-home exfoliation.
- Step 4: Apply a barrier-focused serum or booster that also supports hydration. These concentrated skin care products provide much needed ingredients to skin to help replenish, repair and strengthen, sending skin barrier support into overdrive.
- Step 5, AM: Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen rated. Choose one that contains replenishers like glycerine, ceramides, sodium hyaluronate, cholesterol and/or omega fatty acids. You can also choose to apply an antioxidant-rich moisturiser and then follow up with your choice of sunscreen, of course.
- Step 5, PM: Apply a ceramide- or omega-enriched barrier-repairing moisturiser suitable for your skin type and concerns. Omega fatty acids are proven to strengthen skin’s barrier (12).
What else can you do? Try a beauty supplement that contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid or omega fatty acids. Oral intake of these ingredients is known to further improve skin barrier function (13, 14).
How do you treat your skin barrier to protect it from damage?
Preventing skin barrier damage requires combatting or avoiding factors that can cause a breakdown in skin’s health, including exposure to pollution, UV rays, sensitising and drying ingredients and stark environmental conditions (think hot and cold). Use the guideline below to prevent a damaged barrier:
- Use a moisturiser stacked with hydrating ingredients that work to reduce transepidermal water loss (15). Without moisture, the barrier’s rendered weak.
- Apply a moisturising broad-spectrum sunscreen that also includes antioxidants every morning. Don’t forget to reapply every two hours!
- Speaking of sun protection, the body can experience a damaged skin barrier as well. Don’t forget to use a well-formulated sunscreen beyond the face. Try avoiding venturing outside between 10AM and 2PM, when the sun’s strongest. If you can’t, invest in protective clothing, including a hat.
- Audit your skin care product shelves, ridding them of products with fragrance, harsh cleansing agents and denatured alcohols.
- Take a good look at your diet too! As mentioned above, excessive alcohol intake can chip away at the barrier and beneficial supplements can help with fortification.
- A product is more than just its ingredients. Avoid alkaline formulas that are likely to disrupt the barrier’s health through the depletion of necessary lipids.
- Patch test all new skin care and cosmetic products. Apply a small amount to the inner fold of your arm to test it before committing to facial application.
Learn more about skin barrier repair products.
References for this information:
1. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine, April 2014, ePublication
2. Scientific Reports, July 2017, ePublication
3. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, May 2016, pages 16-22
4. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, Supplement, April 2016, pages S2-S8
5. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, August 2012, pages 771-788
6. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, December 2019, pages 1,201-1,209
7. Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, November 2008, ePublication
8. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, September 2015, pages 80-89
9. Contact Dermatitis, August 2018, pages 59-66
10. Nutrients, March 2020, ePublication
11. Clinical, Cosmetic, and Investigative Dermatology, November 2010, pages 135-142
12. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, February 2020, ePublication
13. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, August 2002, pages 416-423
14. Journal of Medicinal Food, Volume 19, 2016, pages 1,172-1,179
15. Experimental Dermatology, June 2018, pages 909-914