Skin Barrier Repair 101: Key Tips for Healthier Skin

A phrase we often see fly around the internet and social media is ‘skin barrier’ but it’s not all that obvious what it is exactly. It conjures up images of a protective forcefield but what is it exactly? How do you know if yours is damaged? And what can you do to repair it?

Well, you’re about to find out...

What is The Skin Barrier?

Your skin barrier is sometimes referred to as ‘the moisture barrier’ because it helps to keep moisture in your skin...but it is SO much more than this. The skin barrier is the outermost layer of your skin and is mainly made up of skin cells and fats (lipids); its key job is to seal the good things in, such as moisture, whilst protecting us by keeping bad things out, like pollution and bacteria.

Let’s dive in a little deeper to find out what the robust skin barrier is made of because this will be important when it comes to knowing how to repair it.

So, the skin barrier is made of skin cells and lipids. These lipids include fatty acids, ceramides, and cholesterol. Ceramides are especially important because they make up about half of the barrier. Think of this outermost skin layer as a brick wall; the skin cells are bricks, and the lipids are mortar or ‘glue’ that holds it all together.

When your skin barrier function is healthy, your skin is strong and moisturised. When the skin barrier is damaged or weakened your skin can become dry, irritated, sensitive, and more prone to breakouts. Taking care of your skin barrier is important because it helps your skin stay healthy, balanced, and protected from everyday stressors, like weather changes and pollution.

How Does The Skin Barrier Become Damaged?

There are a number of ways in which the skin barrier can become weakened and damaged. Here are some:

• Skin conditions: including rosacea, eczema, and acne can cause a damaged skin barrier to worsen.

• Ageing: as our skin ages it is less able to produce ceramides and other components of the lipids making the barrier weak.

• Skincare products: some products that contain ingredients like alcohol and fragrances can strip away the skin's natural oils and disrupt the barrier. This is one of the reasons why we suggest those with acne refrain from using some of these types of ingredients as it weakens the barrier and makes them even more prone to breakouts-it can be a vicious cycle.

• Over exfoliating: exfoliating too frequently and/or using rough, physical scrubs can damage the skin barrier. An easy switch is to find a wash or product that offers a chemical exfoliation-you'll see these labelled as an ‘AHA’ or ‘BHA’-and gradually phase these into your routine. Skincare is not about going hard.

• Lifestyle: Stress, diet, and hydration. These all impact the skin’s ability to repair itself.

• Medication: Some medications can disrupt and weaken the skin barrier, such as steroids and some acne medication.

• Environment: Pollution, weather extremes, such as cold or dry air (think air conditioning), lots of heat and sun, and airborne pollutants and toxins can break down the skin barrier weakening its defenses.

• Hot water: Using very hot water when you wash can strip some of those lipids away, contributing to barrier damage. We’d recommend using warm water over hot when you bathe, shower, and wash.

Signs You Have A Damaged Skin Barrier

Some top signs to look out for that may suggest that your skin barrier is damaged are:

• Dryness and flakiness – Your skin feels rough, tight, and may start to peel or flake, even after moisturising.

• Tightness after cleansing – If your skin feels tight or uncomfortable immediately after washing, it could be a sign of dehydrated skin and a compromised barrier.

• Redness, irritation, itchiness – The skin looks red, inflamed, or irritated, especially after using skincare products.

• Increase in sensitivity – Your skin can become more reactive to products or environmental, causing stinging or burning sensations.

• Breakouts – You may experience more acne or spots as a weakened barrier can let bacteria and other nasties in.

• Dullness – Skin looks dull and lacks its usual glow, as it's not able to retain moisture.

• Visible cracks or rough patches – your skin may develop cracks, roughness, and bumps, particularly in dry areas.

How to Repair Your Skin Barrier

So, you think you have a damaged skin barrier? Good news, your barrier repair is possible. I'd like to caution you before doing anything at home; it’s a good idea to go to a professional who can give you specific advice for your circumstances and skin.

When looking to repair your barrier, have a think about the cause. The list above is a good starting point. A very common one is your environment; often our skin becomes compromised when the seasons change, and we start using air conditioning or central heating. Do you think that any of those factors could be impacting your skin? Is there anything you can do about them?

• Generally, a good starting point would be to look at your skincare; ensure that your cleanser is gentle, wash twice a day maximum using lukewarm water. A simple skincare regime if often best, not just when you have a damaged skin barrier.

• Hold off exfoliating; if you really need to, limit yourself to once a week or every other week whilst your skin is healing. Please don’t use a physical scrub exfoliator, swap for a gentle chemical exfoliator-you can look to see if there’s a facial wash that contains an AHA or BHA to offer a mild exfoliation.

• Use a skin barrier repair moisturiser. Generally, we’d recommend Medik8 Hydra8 B5 serum which contains hyaluronic acid to deeply rehydrate your skin alongside vitamin B5 which has healing, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties. Following this, use a ceramide moisturiser. We like the Byonik Seal which contains ceramides to replenish your natural lipids, helping to repair and strengthen the barrier. Of course, there are other products on the market that contain (varying quantities of) these ingredients so do research and find one that’s right for you.

• Sun cream. This is important all year round because the damage to your skin doesn’t just happen when it’s sunny. We want to avoid further damage. As a rule, we’d suggest a physical sun cream rather than a chemical one; this means looking for ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide that gently, and physically help block too much sun exposure.

• Be patient and consistent. Your skin isn’t going to heal overnight unfortunately. It can take weeks but it’s worth it.
• Consider a Byonik cold laser treatment. Byonik laser treatment can be an excellent option for accelerating barrier repair. You might be thinking that a laser would be the last thing your damaged barrier needs but this one is different. It’s a cold laser which doesn’t need to cause (controlled) damage to the skin, which many lasers do to achieve their results.

This non-invasive treatment uses pulse-triggered laser energy combined with hyaluronic acid serum and antioxidants to deeply hydrate and repair the skin at a cellular level. Byonik helps strengthen the skin by stimulating regeneration with hyaluronic acid, boosting collagen production, reducing inflammation in all skin types, and replacing ceramides. It’s particularly beneficial for sensitive or compromised skin, we even use it for those who have rosacea and acne as it promotes healing without causing irritation or downtime, like some harsh cleansers are known to.

Byonik is a great complement to your skincare routine while repairing a damaged barrier. See a Byonik treatment in action.

If you’re interested in the Byonik laser treatment and excited by all the ways in which it can help your skin, not just your skin’s barrier, then we’d be delighted to discuss this skin treatment and your unique needs during a consultation. Contact us today to arrange.