Having a healthy skin barrier protects from UV rays, chemicals, allergens, microbes and even systemic toxicity. Its role is simply to defend and protect.
The skin is the largest organ of the body and its main function is protection. It is made up of several different layers, each one having its own specific function in promoting homeostasis (healthy balance) which means healthy skin from the inside and out. When the skin barrier is not in homeostasis it can lead to inflammation, sensitivity, dull, dry, rough, uneven or discoloured patches, prone to developing itchy, flaky skin, and it makes it more acceptable to bacteria and fungal infection which can cause rashes, and breakouts. At Derma Wellness Clinic we work with the skin's integumentary system using the principles of Corneotherapy, we help reduce inflammatory responses in our treatments. We always work with the chemistry and physiology of the skin without ablating the skin- specialising in repairing, strengthening and regenerating, this results in stronger, healthy, and radiant looking skin long term.
From a Corneotherapy perspective the skin barrier needs to be healthy and supported as an organ first before we replenish key nutrients and antioxidants (active ingredients) to the skin. If the skin barrier is not treated first then skin simply won't penetrate active ingredients and will in fact risk an allergic reaction.
The three lines of defence of the skin barrier are:
- Acid mantle/microbiome
- The Stratum Corneum
- Lipids
When the three functions of the skin barrier are working together optimally then the skin’s microbiome gives protection from external pathogens. It also produces a waterproofing system to maintain and protect healthy skin including good hydration of the skin, and temperature.
If the skin barrier is not functioning correctly it can make the skin compromised and open to attract harmful bacteria. It also sends messages to the other cells of the skin layers letting them know something is wrong. It does this by sending chemical messengers throughout the cell network initiated by antimicrobial peptides.
This can lead to an inflammatory response in the skin cells. Over time continued damage to the skin barrier can lead to chronic skin concerns and poor appearance of the skin (dull and lifeless).
How is the skin barrier harmed?
- The skin barrier can be damaged through continued use of antibacterial products as this harm both the good and bad bacteria on the skin. Our skin has its own microbiome just like our gut that is dependent on good bacteria.
- Over exfoliating - it’s a common misconception that frequent exfoliation will produce better penetration of skincare, however this can actually corrode the skin barrier if overused. It can have a detrimental effect on the acid mantle, and can slow down repair time and create lipid peroxidation which can actually age us.
- Overdoing active ingredients without addressing the skin barrier first. This will increase irritation causing radical damage. Less is sometimes more when we work on repairing.
- Use of poor quality or incorrect skin care long term.
- Nutritional deficiencies, some medications, and prescriptions like steroid creams and antibiotics can also have an effect on thinning the skin and disrupting the microbiome.
As you can see it is really important to heal and maintain the skin barrier. This can be corrected by utilising treatments and homecare that practice corneotherapy.
Repairing the skin barrier
- Eliminate/remove -
- It's important to remove and stop using any cleanser/skincare that leaves the skin feeling tight or restricted.
- Reduce or cease use of acids like BHA/AHA in your skin care routine as these can often cause more harm than good when repairing the skin barrier. Products with enzymes can be more beneficial.
- Eliminate moisturisers that have emulsifiers. Most products contain emulsifiers as this uses preservatives to binds oil and water together to make the product. They can disturb the oils in the skin's lipid by-layers and when water is applied to the skin it means that the lipids in your skin barrier also get removed when removing the product that was on your skin. This is known as the “wash out effect” or develop elephant skin in TSW patients.
- Essential oils & Fragrance can be harsh on sensitive compromise skin
- Retinoids a form of vitamin A can be too harsh on skin barrier dysfunction. There are many forms of vitamin A that can work much more effective and gentle on the skin.
- Replenish/strengthen -
- Once the correct cleansing product is being used and products that are barrier disruptors have been eliminated then the skin therapy focus is now on replenishing and strengthening.
- I like ingredients such as cholesterols, ceramides and free fatty acids like phosphatidylcholine (a vegan option) to help mimic our sebum production.
- Strengthen the skin barrier by using products that stimulate ceramide production and that repair and improve skin barrier health. We like using stem cells from growth factors and peptides.
- Maintain/consistency -
- It may take weeks and sometimes months for the full repair of the skin barrier. Consistency is key using the above steps are necessary for this to occur.
- Use a water filter to help with harsh hard waters
- Use SPF when needed to prevent burning in the sun, antioxidant and vitamin rich products to prevent free radical damage and lipid peroxidation.
To treat your skin effectively, first step is to prioritise its skin barrier function and achieve healthy glowing skin using the right products that practices corneotherapy and treatment plan to help support your skin health. We work with physiologically ingredients that will help fuse into the skin with a bio-individual approach, there are no two skins alike and that is why we start with a skin consutation or if you cant visit us we also take online skin consultation.