TIPS FOR REPAIRING A DAMAGED SKIN BARRIER.

The harsh weather this winter brought a brand new skin concern to my door. All of a sudden I had red, irritated and flaky skin (delicious, I know) all around my nose and chin that just wouldn’t go away. A quick google search taught me this was likely a perioral dermatitis flare-up, commonly caused by a compromised skin barrier. Clearly, I hadn’t been arming my skin to cope with a drop in temperature, and this was my price to pay.

After switching to a severely stripped back and nourishing skincare routine, my face finally started getting back to normal after a few weeks, but it taught me a valuable lesson in taking care of my skin barrier. If your skin’s been equally freaking out lately, you too may be experiencing a skin barrier in distress. Here’s some tips for repairing and preventing damage.

What is the skin barrier?

Our skin is made up of many layers, each with a different role to play. The outermost layer is known as the skin barrier, and it acts as a protective wall keeping out infection and viruses. Think of it like a suit of armour for your face, keeping your skin hydrated and happy.

When the skin barrier is weakened, this armour breaks down. A compromised barrier can lead to a very unhappy face indeed, with dry, red irritated and flaky skin. Panic not- some TLC and nourishing skincare can help get you back on track. Firstly, you need to identify why your skin barrier’s damaged in the first place.

How do I know if mine's damaged?

You’re likely experiencing a skin barrier in distress if your skin is:

-Unusually dry, flaky or sensitive

-Red and blotchy

-Itchy and irritated

-Uneven in tone and texture

-Breaking out

So what led you here? Skin barriers weaken for a number of reasons, including but not limited to:

-Overzealous cleansing and use of actives

-Changes to environment and temperature

-Sun exposure and damage

-Stress

tips to repair

Strip back your routine – lay off the actives, scrubs and anything that could irritate your face further. Right now your skin is in its healing era, so focus on gentle nourishment to get it back on its feet. I took things right back to basics with a simple cleanse and moisturise, avoiding using flannels for a while as this only made my skin even more sensitive. Leave the fancy serums on the shelf for now, just keep things simple with one or two products you know your skin loves.
Keep up the hydration – if your skin’s in dire need of nourishment, you might need to apply moisturiser throughout the day. Reapply a generous layer whenever you start to feel dryness and irritation setting in. You’ll want to focus on thicker, nourishing creams to strengthen and soothe, hydrating mists are also a good shout to lock in some hydration (you can find some products that have been a saviour to me at the bottom of this post).
Protect – your skin barrier can’t heal properly if you aren’t protecting it from triggers. This might include wearing a higher factor SPF to prevent sun damage, or keeping your face wrapped up in a cosy scarf to shield the lower half of your face from cold wind.
Be patient – this was a lesson I didn’t really have to want to learn, but skin barrier repair can take time. After my dermatitis flare-up, it took a good few weeks to get my skin back to normal. It’s frustrating, but with enough TLC, your skin will find a healthy equilibrium again.

NOURISHING PRODUCTS FOR REPAIRING A DAMAGED SKIN BARRIER

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