Unfortunately this is easily done and hard to undo, so it’s best to avoid this problem which can contribute to all kinds of skin issues. The outer skin layer is super-thin but super-tough, literally helping to hold our bodies together, keep in moisture, and let in a few good things while keeping lots of nasties out. Underneath this strong skin barrier is the dermal layer which is much thicker and has different functions, including support of the outer layer.
Many factors can compromise the skin barrier so that it no longer retains moisture effectively. The visible result is dull appearance, dehydration, inflammation, redness, sensitivity, rosacea, signs of aging. Among common causes of skin barrier damage are:
- Very humid or very dry air
- Excessive sun exposure
- Allergens, irritants, pollutants
- Genetic factors
- Harsh ingredients / chemicals
- Over-exfoliating
- Over-washing
- Detergents and hand sanitisers
- Blue light from devices
- Autoimmune conditions
- Some cosmetic procedures
- Stress
Some of these can’t be avoided so take special care around those you can control and manage. Better still, choose to use topicals which include really helpful things like:
- Honey
- Vitamin E
- Oatmeal
- Papaya
- Zinc
- Glycerine
- Argan Oil
- Jojoba Oil
- Prickly Pear Seed Oil
- Sea Buckthorn Oil
Your skin will gratefully reward you by looking its best!!
Written by Dr Jude Lenart, PhD in Natural Medicine.
This is general information for our readers, not medical advice or opinion.
Jude has a Ph.D. in Natural Medicine - she is not a medical practitioner.
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