Introduction
I’d be on the Forbes rich if I had a gold bar every time I saw the word “wall” or “foreign” mentioned in the New York Times.
This blog describes our “golden wall” or skin barrier.
Why is the skin barrier so important?
Without any intervention, our skin looks like this over time…
We have a multi-billion dollar cosmetic industry supporting our desire for younger looking skin. The MOST IMPORTANT function of cosmetic products is restoration of the skin barrier.
What is the skin barrier?
The skin’s layers are: the epidermis, dermis and the hypodermis (subcutaneous fat layer). We are only concerned with the outermost layer (of the epidermis) called the STRATUM CORNEUM.
When researchers, beauty editors, instabloggers etc etc. talk about the SKIN BARRIER, they mean STRATUM CORNEUM.
What does the stratum corneum look like?
Often compared to a brick wall, the skin barrier is composed of interlocking pentagonal corneocytes (bricks) enmeshed in a lipid matrix (mortar).
If you take away anything from this blog its this: that the stratum corneum or the skin barrier is made of:
- PROTEIN (keratin – the corneocytes) and
- intercellular LIPIDS.
Lipids are ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids.
The stratum corneum is the principal barrier in the skin that prevents water loss and protects the skin from UV light, oxidants, antigens and toxic agents.
How does a skin barrier become damaged?
- Genetics has a lot to do with how your skin looks and natural
- Everyday, very normal practices can damage our skin barrier:
- Over-exfoliation
- Too much washing, especially using a harsh cleanser
- Excessive UV exposure
- Excessive bleaching, chemical peels
- Using the wrong products for your skin type
- 99% of blogs I follow have some complaint about self-inflicted skin barrier damage
What are the signs of an impaired skin barrier?
Redness, dryness (itchy, flaky skin), discomfort, and irritation – are examples of impaired skin barriers. The most common dermatological conditions are dermatitis/eczema, xerosis (dry skin)
SO, understanding the CONDITION of your skin barrier determines what type of products you choose.
Yes, I know you probably choose products on the basis of your SKIN TYPE (Normal, Oily, Combination, Dry)
Unlike your date of birth, your skin type won’t be fixed throughout your life, mainly because sebum (oil) secretion varies. Similarly, age, seasonality and presence of acne will affect your skin type.
This means that you may need to change your skin care products throughout the course of the year.
Next set of blogs
I am shifting focus from sunsceens to facial cleansers. I’ll still review sunscreen products. But the nerdy stuff will be cleanser related!
If you have any questions, drop me a line at EMAIL ME