How Does A Damaged Skin Barrier Happen?
A damaged skin barrier happens when harsh ingredients have been used to comprise the lipids in the skin. For example, this damage may have come about by using abrasive ingredients such as alcohol, exfoliating agents, or an ingredient to which your skin is allergic when you use it. Also, constantly washing the skin may cause oils to strip off the skin and cause a damaged skin barrier.
When you strip oils off your skin, it leaves your skin vulnerable to hydration to escape the skin and toxins and bacteria to enter your skin.
How To Repair A Damaged Skin Barrier
When the skin feels tight, flaky, dry, and inflamed, that may be a sign of a damaged skin barrier. A damaged skin barrier happens when harsh skincare ingredients strip away the lipid layer in the skin barrier, leaving the skin’s top layer ‘open’ and vulnerable to environmental toxins. A damaged skin barrier allows water to leave the skin and toxins to enter the skin easily.
What Are The Best Products To Use To Treat My Damaged Skin Barrier?
Treating damaged skin barrier requires the ‘open’ barrier to be sealed with lipids (oils). The best ingredients to use to treat damaged skin barrier includes
Ceramides: Ceramides are lipids that hold the corneocytes together to form a barrier between the outside world and the skin’s Epidermis. When harsh ingredients are used on the skin, it strips away the ceramides and other lipids. You may replenish the Ceramides by using a Ceramide moisturizer twice daily to build your skin barrier. Shop Here
Jojoba oil: Jojoba oil is one of those oils that closely mimics the skin’s sebum, making it one of the best oils to use on the skin. It is an oil suitable for all skin types, so whether you have oily or dry skin, you can benefit from applying jojoba oil to your skin. In addition, if your skin barrier has been compromised, jojoba oil acts as a fatty acid and an emollient to replenish the stripped oils, and it binds your skin cells back together to form your skin barrier. Also, when you apply jojoba oil to your skin, it transforms into hydration, so you get the benefit of moisturization and hydration using jojoba oil. Shop Here
Niacinamide: Niacinamide is an effective ingredient that works to soothe your skin, but it also works to help in ceramide production. You may use Niacinamide and Ceramides to help bring your skin back to health. Shop Here
Argan oil: Argan oil, like Jojoba oil, is a fatty acid that helps to replenish oils in your skin. Also, it works as an emollient to help repair your skin. In addition, Argan oil contains Linoleic Acid, a vital natural soothing ingredient that works to soothe the skin. Argan Oil is one of the best fatty acids to repair the skin barrier. Shop Here
Amino Acids: Amino Acid is a hydrating ingredient but also an essential component in the protein that forms our skin cells and does have vital importance in treating our skin barrier. It contains essential nutrients required for wound healing and the promotion and repair of a damaged skin barrier. In addition, Amino Acid is a natural skin hydrator and is present in the Stratum Corneum, the protective barrier that forms the outermost layer of the skin. Shop Here
How Long Does It Take For The Skin To Heal?
It should take at least three weeks to begin seeing improvement in your skin barrier. While treating your skin, do well to stay away from ingredients that will further irritate your skin. Instead, opt for facial cleansers that contain amino acid or hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid serum, argan oil, or jojoba oil. Also, use a ceramide moisturizer to replenish the oils and hold together your skin cells.
Also, you may have to use fewer products and make sure the products you use are lipids (fatty acids) or humectants.
For a one-on-one skincare consultation, please get in touch with me at amia2784@gmail.com.
