Repairing Your Damaged Skin Barrier

Your skin has a natural barrier to help protect itself from bacteria, pollution, and the sun’s harmful rays. Occasionally, this barrier can get damaged, leading to the loss of moisture, an imbalance in your skin’s pH level, and the disruption of its natural biome.

Here’s how you can tell your skin’s protective barrier has been compromised – your wounds aren’t healing quick enough, and you’re experiencing some hyperpigmentation. You might also feel stinging sensations when you’re applying products, and having flare-ups for ecezma, acne or psoriasis.

Your skin’s barrier can be damaged from over-exfoliating and over-exposure to the sun. Using too many acids and the lack of moisturization are also culprits for this condition.

How can you fix a damaged skin barrier? Here are some ways that you can start repairing it:

• Stop the use of retinol and any acids you are using for about six to eight weeks. This is how long it usually takes for your skin’s barrier to fully recover.
• Use a gentle cleanser and a moisturizer, and make sure to moisturize regularly. Because your skin isn’t retaining moisture as much, you want to be moisturizing a lot more, and a gentle cleanser will have milder effects on your skin.
• Add some extra hydration to create a protective physical barrier to prevent moisture loss while your natural barrier recovers. Creating a physical barrier temporarily acts as the “shield” of sorts.