The best tips for Skin Barrier repair
As the summer weather finally leaves us, the skin barrier needs to be protected. Dr Derrick Phillips, Dr Dev Patel, Dr Sindhu Siddiqi, and Dr Zoya Awan share what treatments they recommend to patients for this transition.
Dr Phillips explains the function of the skin barrier: "The skin barrier is a critical component of the skin's structure and function. It plays a vital role in maintaining the overall health and integrity of the skin and acts as the body's first line of defence against external environmental factors."
Dr Awan, medical director of Secret Aesthetics Clinic, clarifies why it is important for patients to have a healthy skin barrier. "The skin barrier consists of lipids, ceramides, and various other natural components which act as a protective layer against harmful toxins. A compromised barrier can lead to transepidermal water loss, causing your skin to be dry and more prone to environmental damage."
In clinic, she recommends microneedling to help with boosting the skin barrier. "Microneedling stimulates fresh, healthy collagen in the skin and helps to promote a healthy skin barrier. It increases cell turnover and encourages the skin to produce fresh and healthy cells.
"We also offer a microneedling treatment combined with the application of hyaluronic acid which can help improve skin hydration. Microneedling creates microchannels in the skin, allowing for better absorption of hyaluronic acid, a powerful hydrating ingredient that helps replenish moisture, improve skin texture, and strengthen the skin’s barrier function, reducing sensitivity and enhancing resilience."
Dr Patel is the founder of Cellderma, which has a specific product that works well to help with skin barrier defence. "Stress Defence works great as a shield against environmental stressors which damage the skin barrier. It contains Atlantic brown algae extract which helps defend the skin against UV-induced damage and intrinsic, age-related metabolic changes and vitamin B-enriched brown seaweeds which address inflammatory response and severe skin dryness, thereby restoring the skin to a healthier state. Stress Defence also contains hyaluronic acid, squalane, jojoba oil, apricot oil, and glycerin. Together, these ingredients support the skin’s protective barrier by defending against environmental aggressors."
The medical director of No Filter Clinic, Dr Sindhu Siddiqi, shared the treatments she uses for skin barrier repair. "In clinic treatments that are helpful in speeding up the process are skin boosters. At the No Filter clinic, we offer skin boosters to improve the functioning of the skin barrier by stimulating the skin to produce collagen and elastin and improve hydration. We also offer customised bespoke facials to repair the skin barrier and one of our favourite treatments for it is LED light treatment. We have specific protocols for it such as avoiding blue light in people prone to pigmentation."
She also encourages patients to prep and treat their skin at home, first. ‘The first thing we do is scale back on active ingredients such as retinols and acids. The most common reason behind skin barrier dysfunction these days is using too many actives and incorrect combinations. We then introduce healing emollients and like using prebiotic skincare and ingredients such as niacinamide and propolis.”
Dr Awan recommends "Gentle cleansers, hydrating toners, rich moisturisers, and targeted treatments to nourish and protect the skin barrier."
Dr Phillips also shared his top tips for home care: "Hydration is essential to maintain a healthy skin barrier. The most effective way of moisturising the skin effectively is by applying topical serums and moisturisers that are rich in ingredients such as ceramides and hyaluronic acid as they attract water and help the skin to hold onto it."
