Top 7 signs of the damaged skin barrier

Are you battling to recover from a damaged skin barrier? Identifying the root cause of the problem for the damaged skin barrier can help treat the issue more effectively. Recognize the damaged skin barrier through its signs and symptoms to recover from it properly and effectively. 

Anything going wrong with your body or overall health is subjective or objective, affecting your skin, hair, body, or mind.  Let us go ahead and discover the top vital signs of the damaged skin barrier. Before we dive into the damaged skin barrier, let us know what the skin barrier is.

What is a skin barrier?

As per the anatomy, the skin barrier is the top layer of the skin which helps protect your body from harmful free radicals. These harmful free radicals may be internal or external. 

• Internal free radicals include by-products of metabolism due to the oxidation process from junk food.
• External free radicals include environmental factors such as sun damage, pollution, or weather changes. 

All these elements have a significant impact on the body’s outermost layer, which is the skin barrier. Moreover, these free radicals are prone to attack the facial skin, which is sensitive and easily vulnerable, rather than thick body skin. 

As per research, the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology suggests that a compromised skin barrier will trigger an inflammatory skin barrier. This is backed up by science and clinically based on Dr. Rati Parwani’s expertise. In such cases, it is important to know the reasons behind the damaged skincare barrier and eliminate it to recover from skin problems. 

Let us go ahead and explore more about the purpose of the skin barrier and the causes of damage with practical steps that you can take to protect this vital defensive layer of the skin called the skin barrier.

Causes of the damaged skin barrier

Eliminating the causes of the damaged skin barrier can help fast recover the skin along with suitable skin care products. Your skin defends against a barrage of threats internally and externally. Some causes of the damaged skin barrier are as follows- 

• Dry cold weather or hot humid climate.
• Allergens and irritants.
• Sun exposure.
• Alkaline detergents and soaps.
• Exposure to harmful and harsh chemicals in beauty or makeup products.
• Over-exfoliation or over-washing skin
• Taking long-term medications like steroids
• Skin issues like psoriasis, eczema, or atopic dermatitis
• Endocrinological disorders like thyroid issues cause skin dryness.
• Bacterial and fungal infections of the skin, such as acne or tinea
• Weakened skin immunity due to chronic or recurrent illness.

Why is your skin prone to damage?

The skin is generally more prone to damage as the skin barrier is slightly acidic, mainly due to the presence of the acid mantle. The acid mantle helps create a buffer against harmful bacteria and free radicals to neutralize them and work as per the body's defensive mechanism. 

This acid mantle should work properly to protect the skin. The optimum acidic nature of the skin is essential for biological interactions during the healing and skin recovery process. Chronic long-term illness can cause a significant impact on your acid mantle, weakening the buffer element or the skin barrier, making your skin more vulnerable to damage.

Top 7 signs of a damaged skin barrier

When your skin barrier is not working correctly, it shows up as a signal of your skin’s condition. Here are the top 7 signs of a damaged skin barrier 

• Dry, scaly skin.
• Itchy skin.
• Roughness of skin.
• Discolored patches with uneven skin tone.
• Sensitive skin or inflamed skin areas.
• Skin redness.
• Burning sensation on the skin.
• Prone to bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.

How to protect the skin barrier?

Here are simple and basic ways to protect the skin barrier which are as follows- 

• Following the skincare routine
• Choosing the natural skin care products in your daily routine
• Being minimalistic in your skincare routine
• Using products with a suitable pH
• Using moisturizers with hydrating bio marine elements
• Using serums with ceramides and peptides to strengthen the skin barrier
• Check out for serums with pseudo-ceramides which cause dryness and itchiness.
• Use humectants containing glycerine-like elements
• Choose natural elements of hyaluronic acid from botanical extracts
• Use plant-based natural oils like argan oil, jojoba oil, and almond oil
• Use aloe vera gel extracts for soothing the skin
• Use collagen-based natural skin care products for better recovery from damaged skin barrier
• Avoid silicone based and mineral oil-based skincare products
• Use natural skin care moisturizers with glycerine to seal in moisture 

If you are suffering from a damaged skin barrier, the good news is that many beauty products in the industry help protect and rejuvenate your skin. Choosing the right skincare product can allow the damaged skin barrier to heal from within. Exfoliators and moisturizers play an essential role in repairing and healing the skin. These have target-specific activity on the body’s outermost layer, called a skin barrier. When dealing with a damaged skin barrier, choosing natural skin care products to rejuvenate your skin is advisable. 

Your skin barrier is the first body’s first line of defense mechanism. Keep it healthy to avoid skin problems for beautiful glowing skin.