Signs you have a damaged skin barrier, with solutions

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The skin is the largest external organ of the human body, which is covered by hair, nails, nerves and glands.

The vital organ acts as a barrier between the inside and outside environment. A damaged skin barrier would lead to implications to your overall health, so it is crucial that a damaged skin barrier is identified and treated.

Damaged skin barrier

What is the skin barrier?

The skin barrier, also known as the ‘acid mantle’ or the ‘moisture barrier’, is the outermost layer of the skin. Its function is to trap and hold the moisture in your skin whilst also blocking out allergens, irritants and pollutants in the environment, preventing them from penetrating the skin and causing inflammation.

The top layer of the skin is made up of exfoliating skin cells which turn over every 28 days. There are hydrating ingredients such as ceramides, free fatty acid and linoleic acid to maintain a healthy skin barrier which protects us from sun damage, low humidity, cold, wind and pathogens like bacteria etc.

What makes up the skin barrier?

The epidermis is made up of 5 layers:

Proteins
Lipids
Skin microbiome
Skins immune system
Acid mantle

Signs of a damaged barrier

In order to identify a damaged skin barrier, it would be worth looking out for these signs:

Inflammation
Increased dryness
Increased oiliness and breakouts
Itchiness
Redness
Increased skin infections
Increased sensitivity to gentle products

Triggers of a damaged skin barrier

Triggers are things that can damage a skin barrier. If the signs of a damaged barrier apply to you, then it would be important to find out what may have triggered it.

Some of these triggers are (not limited to):

Harsh skin routines – The most common trigger of causing damaged skin barriers, is said to be skin care products. Washing your face too much or over-exfoliating the skin, over-strips the skin of its natural oils therefore causing damage.
Diet – It would be necessary to know that your skin and gut are directly connected. Consequently about 7-11% of people who have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), have psoriasis. It was found that foods that contain simple sugars, when digested, cause rapid insulin spikes that lead to the downstream effect of inflammation which also results in skin barrier breakdown.
Stress – Through research, it has been found that when you are stressed, your skin produces more sebum and the microbiome is compromised, which in turn leads to more breakouts. One study also found that in times of stress, the healing process is slowed down which then makes it difficult to recover from the breakout.
Sun damage – UV exposure damages the skin barrier and could potentially lead to burns and skin cancer. It is highly important to wear SPF on areas that are going to be exposed to the sun.
Skin diseases – People with skin diseases like eczema and rosacea etc. have a higher risk of developing skin barrier dysfunction, regardless of their lifestyle factors. If you believe that you have either of these skin conditions, it is advised to visit a dermatologist for expert treatment and product advice.

How to heal your skin barrier

If your skin barrier is damaged, it is not too late to heal it! Take a look at these recommendations to reduce the damage of the skin barrier:

Address any habits that may be damaging the skin – Do you tend to over-exfoliate? Are you going outside without SPF? It would be wise to determine what factors are causing your damaged barrier and eliminate them or manage them.
Use plant oil to replenish your skin barrier – Certain plant oil may help replenish the skin barrier and stop your skin barrier from losing moisture, suggested by research from 2018. Some plant oils that you may consider using are coconut oil, almond oil, argan oil etc.
Try moisturizers containing hyaluronic acid, petrolatum or glycerin – Dry skin is a common problem which worsens the skin barrier. By using an occlusive moisturizer, it aids the skin barrier by reducing the amount of water loss from your skin.
Avoid irritants – Here are a few examples of what to avoid: fragrances, facials, micro needling, derma rolling, chlorine or salt water, physical scrubs etc.
Recommended ingredients to use – make sure to keep the following ingredients on your go-to list! The ingredients are ceramides, amino acids, fatty acids, squalene, aloe vera, peptides etc.

If you have been suffering with any of these symptoms listed above or have noticed a worsening of your medical condition, as a result of your worsening environment, then you will be entitled to claim compensation.

If you feel like your injuries have been caused as a result of your working practices and wish to enquire about a potential claim, please contact us. Our number is 0113 200 9720.