Here's everything you need to know...
Whether you’re a skincare junkie with a bathroom cabinet bursting with products or a beginner who just enjoys a basic routine, chances are you’ve heard about the importance of looking after your skin barrier. But while many of us know that a healthy-looking skin barrier equals good skin (thanks to every skincare commercial, ever), most of us don’t have a clue what it actually is.
And that’s okay! We’re not all skin wizards around here. But what it does mean is that we’re probably doing a pretty average job at looking after it, hey? To break down what a skin barrier is and how to keep it looking healthy.
What is a skin barrier?
Skin is the largest organ in the body; it protects your other organs from the harsh outside thus making it one of the most important organs in your body. Your skin barrier is basically the outmost layer of your skin (the stratum corneum - if you want to get fancy), and your first line of defence. Picture it like a security guard for your skin. It keeps the good stuff in (moisture) and blocks out all the bad stuff - bacteria, pollutants, irritants and all the other annoying things trying to mess with your skin (rude!).
To get a little bit science-y on you, your skin barrier is made up of things called corneocytes and lipids – which basically hold everything together. “These corneocytes and lipids resemble a brick and mortar structure. The corneocytes (or skin cells) make up the bricks and the lipid interface make up the mortar.” Still with us?
When the skin barrier is damaged, the normally tight arrangement between these skin cells and lipids are lost, allowing external irritants to penetrate the skin more easily, and leads to more water leaving our skin. This is known as Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL). The result? Seriously unhappy skin. As well as inducing sensitivity and irritation, this can show up visibly in the form of redness, rashes, hives and dry dehydrated flaky skin.
What Can Damage Your Skin Barrier?
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
genetic factors that may make you more prone to certain skin conditions like atopic dermatitis and psoriasis
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