THE SKIN BARRIER EXPLAINED
Happy Friday lovelies!
April is rosacea awareness month, so this blog entry aims to cover all things ‘skin barrier’, answering some of the most highly googled skin questions and touching on rosacea too. By now, I’m sure you know the drill, I am not a qualified dermatologist. I simply collate well-credited and trusted sources of information from those who are. So, lets dive in.
Firstly, what is a skin barrier?
Your skin barrier has a plethora of roles and responsibilities. Researchers generally concur that the skin barrier serves three crucial functions:
1. Defending your body from external stressors like pollution and UV radiation.
2. Holding onto water to keep your body and skin hydrated.
3. Delivering necessary nutrients to your skin.
Your skin barrier is also the primary factor as to how healthy and even your skin looks. Your skin will be able to retain water effectively if your skin barrier is robust, keeping your skin hydrated, smooth, and elastic. Additionally, it will aid in protecting against environmental irritants like pollution, UV and bacteria and be less vulnerable to skin issues like sensitivity and irritation.
On the other hand, your skin will be vulnerable to injury if your skin barrier isn't functioning properly. It will be more susceptible to trans-epidermal water loss, which leads to dehydration and a dry, flaky appearance. Additionally, you'll be less able to fight off harmful threats like free radicals. This is significant because free radicals can cause changes like discolouration, elasticity loss, and early wrinkles. In fact, according to experts, environmental factors account for up to 97% of visible skin ageing. In essence, a dysfunctional skin barrier is frequently linked to many of the most prevalent skin issues.
What can cause a damaged skin barrier?
The main causes of barrier dysfunction include UV radiation, smoking, and prolonged exposure to pollutants. Your skin barrier's health can also be impacted by physical harm, such as that caused by excessive exfoliation, as well as by lifestyle choices including how much stress you are under and how much sleep you get. Consider it as follows: Your skin barrier is likely susceptible to disruption or damage from any internal or external stressor that causes apparent skin changes.
If there are so many potential reasons as to why the skin barrier may be injured, what are symptoms of a damaged skin barrier?
A damaged skin barrier can appear in a plethora of ways, but the core of the issue is water loss. According to Dr Elizabeth Geddes-Bruce, it frequently has a flaky, dry appearance and can be unpleasant or itchy as well as feel rough to the touch. It may also be a sign that your skin barrier is damaged if you get breakouts and red, irritated skin. Additionally, it's a pretty clear indication that your skin is vulnerable, if you experience burning or stinging when using moisturisers or products without active ingredients such as acids, peels, and retinoids.
What is rosacea?
Rosacea is a prevalent skin disorder that primarily affects the face. It manifests as chronic redness caused by dilated blood vessels, tiny bumps, and pus-filled patches that resemble acne. It mainly affects those with a fair complexion; however, it can affect people of any skin colour. Rosacea can emerge at any age, but most typically in young adulthood.
It is more frequent in women and is a long-term condition that can last a long period of time ranging from moderate to severe. Rosacea is found on the cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose. It may, in rare occasions, affect the neck and chest.
How is rosacea treated?
There's currently no cure for rosacea, but treatment can help control the symptoms. Anything that irritates your skin can worsen rosacea. To prevent this, you want to avoid rubbing or scrubbing your face. That means no washcloths, facial sponges, or exfoliating. Typically, rosacea is treated with a similar set of rules to repairing a damaged skin barrier. No abrasive exfoliation or strong active ingredients. Another important cross over between the two is the importance of SPF. Too much exposure to the sun been proven to be a potential trigger for rosacea as well as a physical cause of an impaired skin barrier.
How do I repair the skin barrier once it’s damaged?
Less is more when restoring your skin's protective barrier. Avoid using active agents like acids, peels, and retinoids, for a few weeks. "Especially avoid products with harsher chemicals designed to treat acne, exfoliate, or help with ageing skin," advises Dr. Geddes-Bruce. She advises using moisturisers that contain ceramides to replenish the skin. When you're ready to add any active back in, take your time and introduce each one at a time. Before adding more, wait three to four weeks, especially if you have sensitive skin.
DEWCY’s simple 3-step routine to a healthy skin barrier
Step 1:
Apply our Miracle Oil Cleanser to your face taking care to avoid the eye area. Massage in circular motions over the skin. With warm water, soak the flannel and wipe the oil away, removing any dirt, bacteria, excess skin oil and debris. (Do this morning & night)
Step 2:
Each morning, take a grain of rice amount of our Dew Believe in Magic and Bounce Back beauty balms, melt into your fingertips and apply across the face, neck and décolletage massaging gently into the skin. This dewy duo has our patent pending K6-PhytoCeramide Complex TM along with fruit-based, plant and marine actives that help to nourish the skin. All our products are made with sensitive skin at the forefront of creation, therefore they are perfectly suitable for taking the time to nourish your skin barrier.
Step 3:
Each evening, after cleansing, apply a small amount of our Twinkle Twinkle Little Jar sleep recovery balm across the face, neck and décolletage massaging gently into the skin, again pairing with Bounce Back. This evening duo is packed with naturally derived ingredients such as Baobab, Camu Camu and Kakadu Plum which help to restore the skin and comfort irritation. Bounce Back is a great pairing balm because contains oat actives which help repair, renew, and protect the skin's lipid barrier, replenishing ceramides in the skin. These skin-soothing actives also help to ease irritation and improve dry areas, which is backed by dermatologists to be the best way to improve and maintain a healthy skin barrier.
The skin is our largest organ. It is always beneficial to invest time into educating ourselves on how to keep it at its best. Everybody’s skin differs in condition, texture and tone but knowing and feeling comfortable in your own is what is important, and it is what is most important to use here at DEWCY.
This blog post was inspired by rosacea awareness month, to help continue bringing awareness but also educate those who don’t suffer with the condition about general skin barrier health.
I hope this has been informative and that you all have an incredible weekend.
Xoxo
Geddes-Bruce, E. (n.d.). Elizabeth Geddes-Bruce, MD - Westlake Dermatology. [online] Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery®. Available at: https://www.westlakedermatology.com/elizabeth-geddes-bruce-md/.
AAD. “Rosacea: Who Gets and Causes.” Www.aad.org, www.aad.org/public/diseases/rosacea/what-is/causes.
Cork, Mj. “The Importance of Skin Barrier Function.” Journal of Dermatological Treatment, vol. 8, no. sup1, Jan. 1997, pp. S7–S13, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09546639709160948, https://doi.org/10.3109/09546639709160948.
Del Rosso, James Q. “Repair and Maintenance of the Epidermal Barrier in Patients Diagnosed with Atopic Dermatitis: An Evaluation of the Components of a Body Wash-Moisturizer Skin Care Regimen Directed at Management of Atopic Skin.” The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, vol. 4, no. 6, 2011, pp. 45–55, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140899/. Accessed 11 Dec. 2019.
NHS. “Rosacea Symptoms and Treatments.” Www.nhsinform.scot, www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/skin-hair-and-nails/rosacea.
Patel, Reema . “Skin Barrier Function and How to Repair and Care for It.” Healthline, 16 Sept. 2020, www.healthline.com/health/skin-barrier.