If you have any number of skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema or rosacea, then you’ve probably learned about your skin’s barrier (if you haven’t yet, head over to my post about it here).
To quickly recap, our skin is made up of lipids, cells and protein rivets that create a wall-like, but still-permeable structure. This structure, or barrier, protects you and me from all kinds of internal and external threats.
On the one hand, our skin keeps the water content of our bodies safely where it belongs – in our bodies – with a high concentration of lipids, which essentially waterproof our skin.
On the other, it shields us from dangerous particles and microbes, including UV rays. It basically keeps the bad stuff out and the good stuff in – a veritable miracle of evolution that keeps us alive and healthy.
Supporting your skin’s barrier by engaging in informed, healthy self-care activities like using skincare products with low pH levels is vital. Why?
Because, when your skin’s barrier isn’t supported properly due to internal issues like an autoimmune disease, outside pollutants like infectious bacteria or – in many cases – a combination of both, you can develop skin conditions like those mentioned above.
A lack of support eventually weakens your skin’s barrier and it’s enzymatic functioning, so it’s less able to fight critical threats like infection and inflammation. Enter psoriasis, eczema and a host of other skin diseases. This motley crew of varied skin issues all happen to stem from the same root problem: weak skin barriers.
Safe to say, the relationship your skin’s barrier has with whatever skin condition you’re dealing with is one that you want to pay attention to. The more you support your barrier, the faster you can heal an inflammatory skin disorder.
Nurture your skin and regularly build up that barrier with these tips, and see how amazingly your skin disorder responds. It’ll be a change for the better.