A damaged skin barrier does not happen overnight. It happens slowly and quietly. Products that once felt fine sting your skin now, your face looks oily but feels tight, breakouts keep appearing in places that were clear before. Most people are not able to identify the fact that their skin barrier is damaged. They would treat it as bad skin days and add more products or actives to the routine only to make the situation worse. The skin barrier is the outermost defense layer. When it breaks down, your skin gets worse. You will see more oil, more sensitivity, more redness, more acne and slower healing. Repairing the barrier does not mean adding more products. It simply means rebuilding what is missing and fixing what is wrong.
Before understanding anything else it is important to understand the basic fundamentals of our skin. Our skin has mainly three layers: Epidermis, Dermis and Hypodermis. Epidermis is the outermost layer. Its main role is to protect our skin from bacteria, UV rays, pollution and prevent water loss and maintain even skin tone.
To do this, it is further divided into more layers but we need to know about stratum corneum. The outermost layer which acts as a “security wall” for our skin. It keeps the water in and bacteria and allergens out.
Stratum corneum is made up of corneocytes (cells) often called bricks and lipids ( a combination of ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids naturally occurring in skin) which is referred to as mortar. Like when we make a house, bricks prevent the physical agents from entering the house and the cement seals it all together preventing rain water and other variables from entering.
Corneocytes physically protect the skin and the lipids prevent water loss from our skin. When your barrier is damaged, your lipids are not able to prevent the water loss and thus, making your skin dehydrated, red, etc. This is called the transepidermal water loss.
What is Transepidermal water loss (TEWL)?
Transepidermal water loss is the process where water naturally evaporates from our skin and into the environment. This often happens when the skin barrier is damaged. A healthy skin barrier controls this water loss and keeps our skin hydrated and balances making sure that the lipid layer present between the corneocytes acts as a seal to prevent moisture loss.
As the TEWL increases, your skin's hydration decreases which causes the skin to be dry, dehydrated,tight and irritated causing sensitivity. To compensate for the loss of water, the sebaceous glands produce more oil. This excess sebum mixes with the dead skin cells to form comedones.
How to know your barrier is damaged?
A damaged barrier doesn't always mean just dry skin. For many people, their skin becomes oily, sensitive, irritated and reactive. One of the most earliest signs of skin barrier being damaged is when the products that felt fine previously start to sting or burn. This happens because of the weakened skin barrier. The lipids are not present in the normal amount which causes the irritants to penetrate the skin more easily.
You may notice:
- Skin feels tight after cleansing.
- Sudden increase in redness or sensitivity.
- Flaking skin or textured skin.
- Recurring breakouts and clogged pores.
- Skin not being able to tolerate actives like before.
- Slower healing of marks and acne.
What damages the skin barrier?
The skin barrier gets damaged when the skin is exposed to more irritants than it can properly handle and repair.
Here are a few reasons your skin barrier might be damaged:
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Overexfoliation - this is one of the most common reasons. Using strong actives like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, retinoids in incorrect amounts and frequently without giving your skin a break. This and using physical scrubs disrupt the lipid layer that holds the skin cells together. If and when this seal weakens, TEWL increases and the skin becomes dehydrated.
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Overcleansing - Cleansing your skin too often and with harsh surfactants strips away the natural moisture from the skin surface which makes it harder for the barrier to retain hydration.
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Environmental stress - UV exposure, pollution, dry air along with excessive heat can generate what is called oxidative stress which contributes to a weaker barrier function over time.
- Inconsistency in skincare - Constantly switching products or using too many products together may cause the skin barrier to be compromised which prevents the skin from stabilizing and recovering properly.
When one or more of this continues repeatedly, the skin barrier becomes compromised as it has not had enough recovery time.
How to repair your skin barrier?
The first step to repairing our skin barrier is to stop using anything that can continue irritating your skin.
- If you use multiple ingredients like strong AHAs, BHAs, Physical scrubs or retinoids, You need to temporarily stop using them. If you continue to use these, the barrier is already compromised and it can worsen the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and it will delay recovery.
- Start with a gentle cleanser that removes dirt, excess oil, and impurities without leaving your skin feeling tight. Lelys Cleansing Face Wash is a suitable option for acne-prone and sensitive skin, helping cleanse effectively while supporting a healthy skin barrier. That's it. No over use of products. Give it time to heal itself.
- Use a gentle cleanser that does not make your skin feel stripped or tight after use. Always follow up with hydrating and skin barrier supporting ingredients like ceramides, panthenol, niacinamide, Hyaluronic acid, allantoin and aloevera. These ingredients will help you restore your lipids layer and slowly improve the skin's ability to retain the moisture.
- Moisturiser becomes extremely important during this time. It is better if the moisturiser has ceramides as it will help and support the recovery of the damaged barrier.
- Do not skip sunscreen. UV exposure weakens the skin barrier and delays recovery. Protect your skin every morning with a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Lelys Physical Sunscreen SPF 50+ is suitable for normal to dry skin, while Lelys Acne Control Sunscreen SPF 50+ is ideal for oily and acne-prone skin.
Barrier recovery takes time. Be patient and consistent. Recovery of the skin barrier takes time, for some cases it may take a few weeks. Do not start using actives altogether once your skin starts to feel better.
Ingredients That Help Repair the Skin Barrier
There are certain ingredients that effectively help by restoring hydration, rebuilding the lipid layer and reducing the transepidermal water loss. Some of them are:-
- Ceramides: They help rebuild skin's protective lipid barrier and improve the water retention. They are naturally found in the lipids layer of the skin.
- Hyaluronic acid and glycerin : These two are humectants. When applied, they attract and hold water inside the skin to reduce dehydration.
- Panthenol, Allantoin and Aloe vera : These three will help calm irritation, redness and sensitivity.
- Niacinamide: This ingredient increases ceramides production in the skin which will eventually reduce the inflammation and helps with regulation of oil production.
Using ingredients like this consistently will help restore the hydration balance and strengthen the skin barrier over time.
How long does it take for the skin barrier to restore?
Mild barrier damage can take up to a few days or few weeks to improve while a more severe one may take longer depending on how compromised the skin barrier is.
As the barrier heals, the skin gradually becomes less irritated, less reactive, and more balanced. Consistency is important because restarting strong actives too early can damage the barrier again.
FAQS
How do you fix the skin barrier?
To fix the damaged skin barrier, you need to change your skincare to a simpler, moisturisation based skincare. Avoid all actives, hot showers and do not skip sunscreens.
How can I tell if my skin barrier is damaged?
If your skin feels dehydrated, burns or stings after using products, is flaky or dry or has redness or irritation, there are high chances your skin barrier is damaged.
How long does it take for a broken skin barrier to heal?
If the damage is less, a mild barrier damage can take a few days or 2 weeks or more but a severe damage may take a more than a few weeks.
How to repair skin barrier without products?
To repair your damaged skin barrier without any products, you need to pause using all actives on your skin and go on what is called “skincare fasting”. Just wash your face with normal water and apply a moisturiser. Follow up with a sunscreen and that is it.
Try this for a few days if you feel your skin is overwhelmed.
Conclusion
A damaged skin barrier affects every aspect of skin health from hydration to oil production along with sensitivity and breakouts. When your skin barrier is damaged, the skin is not able to retain moisture and protect itself properly. To repair a damaged barrier, you need to focus on reducing irritation while also supporting the skin with the right ingredients and allowing the skin environment to be stable again. It is a gradual process that requires consistency and patience. Over time, with consistency and proper care the skin becomes healthier and stronger.
