How to Repair a Damaged Skin Barrier

The biggest mistake when your skin gets angry is being aggressive with it, and that is how a skin barrier gets damaged. For decades the advice for breakouts was the same: dry out your breakouts, exfoliate, put alcohol on them, and try all the other really harsh treatments that people use. That advice strips the skin barrier and can actually increase breakouts. The good news is that you can repair a damaged skin barrier.

What Is a Damaged Skin Barrier (and How Do You Know If You Have One)?

Your skin barrier is the outermost layer of your skin. Its job is to hold water in and keep irritants out. It’s built from ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. In a 1997 study, a lipid mix that contained cholesterol as its biggest part helped aged mouse skin improve and six older adults recover faster. It was lab work and not a moisturizer trial, but it shows the barrier needs more than one lipid. If your skin is stinging, tight or flaky right now, the quickest path to relief is to moisturize, hydrate, nourish and treat your skin.

The Everyday Habits That Are Quietly Damaging Your Skin Barrier

Your skin doesn’t want aggressive treatments, whether you’re trying to fight the signs of aging or persistent breakouts. The thinking goes, “If I take these layers off, my skin will grow back better,” and that’s just not true. Dermatologists at the American Academy of Dermatology warn that over-exfoliating can increase redness and breakouts. It doesn’t help to put the best moisturizer on your skin if you keep stripping it with harsh scrubs or chemical peels beforehand, or keep scratching and picking at it.

Hot water is one of the easiest ways you can damage your skin without realizing it. This might be a painful sacrifice for those who enjoy their baths extra hot, but it strips your skin and can damage your skin barrier. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends warm water and baths or showers of five to ten minutes.

Here Are Things You Can Do to Repair Your Skin Barrier

To repair your skin barrier, you need to treat your skin with love. Nourish it, hydrate it and be gentle with it.

1. Give Your Skin a Break: Stop Exfoliating and Avoid Hot Water

Stop exfoliating for a while and give your skin a break.
Back off, let your skin calm down. If you want, you can use an ice roller so it soothes your skin.
Wash gently with water. No harsh soaps, nothing that will strip the oils.
Keep the water warm, not hot, and keep showers and baths short.

2. Give Your Skin the Moisture It’s Been Missing

Layer on the moisturizer. When your skin barrier is damaged, it can’t hold on to water the way it’s supposed to. A good moisturizer helps lock in moisture and gives your skin a chance to heal. Find a fragrance-free moisturizer that works for sensitive skin. The last thing you need is a moisturizer with any skin-irritating ingredients.

A good option is a tallow-based moisturizer. Many people find it feels like it actually sinks in rather than sitting on top of the skin. Tallow is rich in fatty acids, like stearic and oleic acid, which are similar to the fats your skin barrier is made of. Applying it regularly can help soften your skin and keep it from drying out while it heals.

When you buy skincare, look out for ceramides. They can be very beneficial when you’re trying to repair skin barrier damage. Ceramides are the fats that make up a big percentage of your skin barrier and help hold your skin cells together. A moisturizer with ceramides can help rebuild what was lost and keep any moisture from escaping.

3. Add a Barrier Cream at Night: Try a Zinc-Based Diaper Rash Cream

Add a barrier cream at night. Bum cream or diaper rash cream is a popular recommendation for skin barrier damage.

Moms around the world know the power of a good bum cream. It works wonders for babies and now we know that putting it on your own face is one of the best beauty hacks out there.

Look for a zinc-based one, especially for barrier repair. Zinc oxide creates a protective layer on top of your skin that helps keep moisture in and irritants out. It also has a calming, anti-inflammatory effect that can help irritated skin heal.

Some diaper creams contain dexpanthenol, a form of vitamin B5. In a 2002 randomized trial, a dexpanthenol cream helped the skin barrier repair faster and reduced redness compared with a plain cream after skin was irritated with a detergent. Check the label first, because some creams contain lanolin, mineral oil, wax or fragrance that can irritate your skin or clog pores. Do a patch test before you put it on your face, and keep it away from your eyes and any open cuts.

If you only have 30 seconds for a skincare routine at night: get some diaper rash cream, put a thick coating on your face before bed and then watch what it does for your skin.

4. Feed Your Skin From the Inside Out: Eat Enough Fat and Protein

Your diet is very important for skin barrier repair. If you’re not hydrated enough, if you’re not eating enough fat, and if you’re not giving your body the protein it needs for building and repair, how are you going to have a healthy skin barrier and glowing skin?

The fats we eat help create the lipids in our skin and skin barrier, so if you want healthy, glowing, nourished skin, you need to take care of yourself from the inside out. Your skin barrier is made of ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids, and your body needs essential fatty acids from food, like omega-3s and omega-6s, to build and maintain it. Fatty fish, cod liver oil, eggs, grass-fed beef and avocado are all good sources.
Healthy skin is hydrated skin. Drinking enough water can improve your skin’s hydration. When the outer layer of your skin is dehydrated, it’s more prone to cracking. Keeping your skin hydrated helps it stay soft and flexible. It helps the enzymes your skin uses to make its protective fats do their job.
To repair your skin barrier, you have to rebuild what was damaged in a better, healthier way. You need to give your body the amino acids to build the barrier and repair it properly. Amino acids are key, and you get them from foods that contain protein. Your body needs amino acids to make keratin and collagen, which are the proteins that give your skin its strength and structure. Animal proteins like meat, eggs and cheese are all complete proteins, which means they provide all nine essential amino acids your body can’t make on its own.
Dietary collagen gives your body building blocks like proline and glycine, which your skin uses to make its own collagen. It can help skin stay hydrated and resilient while the barrier repairs.

More research is needed on how foods affect your skin barrier, so take this as general support.

How Long Does It Take?

It’s possible to already see a difference in the first week of implementing a skin barrier repair protocol, but complete healing and a healthy barrier can take time, especially if your skin has been through some hard times.

Dr. Melissa Piliang at the Cleveland Clinic says it “typically takes three or four months to start seeing the benefits of your efforts.” Find the products that work best for you, put skin barrier cream on, try the ceramides, and give yourself time to heal and glow.

When to See a Dermatologist

See a dermatologist if your skin is painful, weeping or crusting, looks infected, spreads suddenly or isn’t improving after a few weeks of gentle care. Redness and breakouts can also be eczema or rosacea, and those need a proper plan from a professional. This article is general information and not medical advice.