Glowing skin? Add to cart. Pigmentation-care? A year’s supply, please. We’re no longer just dealing with a single-step or even a multi-step skincare routine. Short of getting ourselves a chemist’s degree, we find ourselves in a minefield of actives and other super-ingredient based skincare products, topped off with intense research and debate over what, when and how to add on a truckload of products to our lives. Besides the obvious yet often forgotten fact that you don’t need a plethora of products for your skin, there is also the plain truth that sometimes an overuse of ‘rescue remedies’ might be destroying your skin. Yes, there is something like too much of a good thing (we’re looking at you, exfoliators). This oversaturation of skincare products in the market, and on your skin, can threaten your skin barrier in the long run. We sat down with Dr Harshna Bijlani, aesthetic physician, celebrity skin expert and medical head of The Ageless Clinic, for her insights on how to best handle the skin barrier
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Hello, skin barrier!
It's time to get acquainted with your skin barrier. “It’s the outermost layer of your skin, often described as a ‘brick wall’, but is actually a very fragile structure,” says Dr Bijlani. The ‘brick wall’ is the watertight membrane that holds the skin’s outer layers together, keeping the good stuff in and the bad stuff out. “Your skin barrier is responsible for protecting your body from free radicals and environmental threats like bacteria, chemicals, allergens, and microbes from penetrating and causing skin damage. It helps restore water inside your body and prevents you from getting dehydrated,” elaborates Dr Bijlani.
“A normal, healthy skin barrier will make your skin look even-toned and smooth as the skin will feel plump, soft, and supple,” says Dr Bijlani. She says a normal skin barrier is also acne-free and does not make the skin appear red, dry, itchy, or inflamed. How do you identify a damaged skin barrier? It is when your skin shows dryness and itchiness, premature signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles, discolouration, acne, inflammation, bacterial, viral or fungal skin infections and overall dullness and dehydration.
Bye, skin barrier?
Since we don’t live in a protective bubble, our barrier gets attacked more often than we’d like to believe. If you’re living in a city, chances are there is either a road or building under construction right under your nose. Pollution, bacteria, dust, and dirt will clog pores and leave the skin sensitised, making it prone to acne, inflammation, and dryness.
Weather is one of the biggest factors that affect the skin barrier and is, unfortunately, largely out of your control. That little bit of sunbathing you did in Bali? UVA and UVB rays could have led to sunburn, peeling, sunspots, and some micro-ageing, while also having have weakened and damaged your skin barrier. Dry or cold weather can be harsh and dehydrating to your body, causing sunburn, redness, peeling, itchiness and even flaking. In some cases, it can even lead to eczema and psoriasis.
As we move into summer, the humidity increases and skin gets oilier and greasier. “Higher temperatures prompt the skin to secrete more sebum, making it greasy and prone to acne, hence adversely affecting the skin barrier,” says Dr Bijlani. “Sun exposure in hot weather can lead to blemishes, uneven skin tone, and tanning.”
What then? Should you move to a warmer city? Of course, life is not that easy. “This is when you need to switch from oil-based to water-based products for a healthy skin barrier,” advises Dr Bijlani. “As humidity increases, you will also sweat more and lose more water. Drinking sufficient water and keeping your body hydrated are equally important to keep your skin barrier healthy. Using water-based sunscreen every two-three hours is necessary to protect your skin barrier from harmful UV rays.”
Skincare sidekicks
But, it’s not all doom and gloom. Dr Bijlani recommends you follow a basic skincare routine to maintain your skin barrier. Consistent cleansing, toning, moisturising and use of SPF can take you a long way.
Some rigorous skincare regimes such as scrubbing with harsh textures and over-exfoliating, chemical peels, and excessive hair removal procedures like waxing and threading, can really do a number on the barrier, leaving the skin feeling dry and itchy. A manageable way to avoid damage to the skin barrier is to use mild exfoliators and anti-ageing products and make professional clean-ups and facials a part of the skin maintenance routine.
Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, peptides, vitamin E, cica, wheat germ as well as certain AHAs and BHAs, are great for protecting, maintaining and strengthening the skin barrier. “Apart from that, I would recommend non-comedogenic, hydrating products for a healthy skin barrier. For acne marks, I would recommend spot creams that can reduce pigmentation and marks on your skin,” says Dr Bijlani. In terms of treatments, she recommends hydrating facials that are soothing and can repair the skin barrier. “The easier methods range from gentle peels to LED facials, and the most challenging concerns require intense skin maintenance treatments that are hydrating like the HydraFacial or the 360 facial that helps repair and maintain the skin barrier.”
The long game
Let’s not forget that we’re dealing with the largest organ in the human body. You’re going to need more than just a shelf of products to keep it well maintained. Like everything in life, it’s all about balance. A healthy diet and regular exercise can be skin-changing, nay life-changing. “Eat a balanced, nutritious diet packed with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. A balanced diet should have protein, healthy fats, vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and nuts,” advises Dr Bijlani. “Regular exercise increases blood circulation in the body, removes toxins and increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients delivered to the skin cells, strengthening the skin barrier and making skin look young and glowing,” she concludes.
Cover Image : Instagram/@shanayakapoor02
