Image via @dermalogica How long? Some products contain ingredients that can be harsh on your skin and strip the moisture out of it. Also known as the permeability barrier, moisture barrier, or lipid barrier, the skin barrier is responsible for making sure essential water and electrolytes don’t evaporate from skin. This is because skin can no longer hold onto the vital substances it needs to repair itself. A damaged skin barrier can be repaired with some love, affection, and quality products. A leading dermatologist reveals what a skin barrier does and why it is key for giving you a clear and glowing complexion. Here is a list of tips that will help you start repairing your skin: This step is fundamental to understand what caused the skin barrier to get damaged. Staying out of the sun and away from tanning beds is the easiest way to get great-looking skin. When you are trying to fix your barrier to get it back to a healthy place, I recommend stopping all of your exfoliating products for two weeks and then slowly work back into them once the skin feels repaired. 1) Dressings. This is almost sadder than destroying the barrier itself… There are three things you must do in order to repair the barrier. By adhering to a proper cleansing regimen, limiting your skin's exposure to harmful elements, and integrating repairing remedies into your life, you should soon begin to see the effects of a stronger skin barrier. 4.8 of 2 reviews. Understanding our skin and how it works will help us take better care of it. There are several environmental factors that can produce damage to the skin barrier. “[It also acts as] protection from the outside world by preventing and responding to microbial organisms like bacteria, viruses, and … When we cleanse and exfoliate, we are stripping our skin from lipids, fatty oils and dead cells which are part of the skin barrier. It probably doesn’t seem like it, but your skin is constantly hard at work and that uppermost layer, the moisture barrier, is the … Your skin’s protective moisture barrier is damaged, and simply layering on a rich moisturizer isn’t going to fix it. Failing to do this will make the skin prone to bacteria invading it and more acne breakouts as a result. Ooo, this is my kind of question :) I pretty much abused the crap out of my moisture barrier using Likas papaya soap and had flakey skin all throughout highschool -- until I realized oh maybe I shouldn't be using this since it dries the crap out of my skin, oops. Pain as in irritation? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This thread makes me sad, because I never managed to repair mine. Although exfoliation can be incredibly beneficial for stimulating the growth of … New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the AsianBeauty community. It takes about 30 days after a skin injury for the outer layer (the epidermis) to repair itself. 1) Dressings. If you are consistent, you should see noticeable improvement within a month, but that doesn’t mean you can quit or slack off at this point. When your skin is sensitive, it is recommended to use SPF with protection above 50, which will give an extra layer of protection to your skin against the sun. In order to repair the horny layer, you must give it the things it needs to thrive: natural lipids and dead skin cells. This can be cleansing brushes, microfiber or washing cloth; which are a form of physical exfoliants. This dense layer of skin is responsible for preventing epidermal water loss and serves as a barrier to bacteria, irritants and allergens. In order to repair the horny layer, you must give it the things it needs to thrive: natural lipids and dead skin cells. While it’s important to look out for the threats mentioned above, in most cases what is harming the skin barrier is actually within our skincare routine. Never Over Exfoliate. I didn't understand why because I'm Spanish and have greasy, oily, let's-blot-this-with a-coffee-filter skin. Because of that, it technically took me like two years.