Understanding the skin barrier

The term skin barrier has become increasingly popular in the skincare industry. Maintaining a healthy skin barrier is crucial for achieving clear, smooth, and comfortable skin. Since external factors can lead to damage, undermining the integrity of our skin barrier, it is important to take the right steps and use the right products to protect and repair the skin barrier. Let’s delve into the details to demystify this essential aspect of skincare.

What is the skin barrier?

Over the years, the skin’s structure and function has been the subject of much investigation by scientists.

The stratum corneum (SC), the skin’s outermost layer and interface with the outside world, is now well recognized as the barrier that prevents unwanted matter from entering the body and excessive water loss. The skin barrier is often referred to as the hydro-lipidic barrier and the stratum corneum is sometimes described as a brick wall. The corneocytes that make up the cell envelope are layers, like bricks, mortared together by lipids, that create the outer water barrier. Epidermal lipids are composed of 50% ceramide, 25% free fatty acids, and 25% cholesterol. The hydro barrier or water barrier, often referred to as the natural moisture factor (NMF) is composed of 40% free carboxylic acid, 12% pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA) 7% urea, 12% sodium, potassium, calcium and Magnesium, 2% sodium salts of lactic and citric acid and 17% ammonia, uric and other organic acids.

What causes damages to the skin barrier?

Common contributors to barrier damage are UV exposure, arid climates, age, stress, illness, disease, inflammation, cosmetics, drugs, dieting, food, and alcohol. Substances such as strong acids or alkalis, and chemical sunscreens, to name a few, have the potential to disrupt the skin barrier. The concentration, or percentage, of these ingredients found in a product and the length of time they have continuously been used and in contact with the skin is to be considered, as prolonged usage can disrupt the skin’s barrier function. Using cleansing products containing detergents that remove the skin’s natural oils can also disrupt the skin’s barrier. Using cleansing products that contain detergents that remove the skin’s natural oils can also disrupt the skin’s barrier.

What causes damages to the skin barrier?

Common contributors to barrier damage are UV exposure, arid climates, age, stress, illness, disease, inflammation, cosmetics, drugs, dieting, food, and alcohol. Substances such as strong acids or alkalis, and chemical sunscreens, to name a few, have the potential to disrupt the skin barrier. The concentration, or percentage, of these ingredients found in a product and the length of time they have continuously been used and in contact with the skin is to be considered, as prolonged usage can disrupt the skin’s barrier function. Using cleansing products containing detergents that remove the skin’s natural oils can also disrupt the skin’s barrier. Using cleansing products that contain detergents that remove the skin’s natural oils can also disrupt the skin’s barrier.

What happens when the skin barrier gets damaged?

When the skins barrier is damaged, the epidermal lipids are also disrupted, which affects the water balance in the skin. Having a prolonged damaged barrier can lead to the development of undesirable skin conditions.

The skin will feel uncomfortable, as the barrier can no longer function to protect it from bacteria, irritants, allergens, airborne pollutants, and pathogens entering the skin. The epidermis becomes porous, causing transepidermal water loss (TEWL) leading to skin dehydration. The skin may also become sensitive and irritated.

Lipids are not immune to the environment. When in contact with sunlight, UV radiation, light, and air, lipids will undergo peroxidation. Peroxidized lipids lose their ability to protect the skin and gaps occur in the barrier. The use of soaps and harsh detergents can also lead to pronounced loss of lipids from the skin. When the lipid barrier is compromised, moisture loss increases (TEWL), leading to dry, scaly and even cracked skin. Dehydrated cells function poorly, as the immune system of the skin becomes weakened.

Damaged lipid barrier may react with cells in the epidermis that trigger or aggravate the inflammation cascade. It does not provide adequate coverage of nerve endings, which can take nine weeks or longer for skin to self-repair.

How to restore and protect the skin barrier

The skin barrier can be repaired. However, the first step should be to prevent it from becoming damaged by avoiding the common contributors.

To repair the barrier function, products containing skin identical lipids, such as ceramides and fatty acids, in combination with hydrating actives and humectants, such as hyaluronic acid, will restore the skin’s hydrolipidic barrier.

How to restore and protect the skin barrier

The skin barrier can be repaired. However, the first step should be to prevent it from becoming damaged by avoiding the common contributors.

To repair the barrier function, products containing skin identical lipids, such as ceramides and fatty acids, in combination with hydrating actives and humectants, such as hyaluronic acid, will restore the skin’s hydrolipidic barrier.