How to Know if Skin Barrier Is Damaged

Co-authored by Farah Khan, MD and Krysten Jackson

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

The skin care world is full of cleaners, toners, exfoliants, serums, and much much more to help your skin look and feel its best. However, there’s a fine line between the perfect routine and skin care overload. If you’ve noticed more flakiness, irritation, or breakouts on your skin, you may have damaged your skin's first point of contact—the skin barrier. Luckily, this damage can often be healed by going back to the basics. Keep reading to learn all you need to know about the skin barrier, how to identify damage, and how to fix it.

Things You Should Know

The most common signs of a damaged skin barrier are abnormal itchiness, sensitivity, dry or rough patches, and severe breakouts.
Skin barrier damage comes from excessive product use, allergies, unhealthy habits (ex: smoking), pH shifts, and genetic or environmental factors.
Heal a damaged skin barrier by minimizing sun exposure and product use. Tap products gently into your skin (instead of rubbing). See a dermatologist for severe cases.

Section 1 of 4:

What is the skin barrier?

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The skin barrier is the outermost layer of skin. Your skin is made up of three layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous fatty layer. The skin barrier makes up the very top of the outer layer, the epidermis. When skin care enthusiasts refer to the skin barrier, they’re typically referring to the stratum corneum, a tightly packed layer of protective cells, known as corneocytes, and fats like cholesterol, ceramides, and fatty acids.^{[1]
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The skin barrier keeps out harmful substances and holds in water. The skin barrier is one of the first lines of defense for your immune system, putting a wall between you and pathogens, toxins, and UV rays. This wall is also home to the acid mantle, which makes your skin dangerous for microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and viruses that could do you harm. While keeping the bad stuff out, it also keeps the good stuff in. The skin barrier keeps you hydrated and moisturized by regulating water loss. Without it, you will be completely dry.^{[2]
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Section 2 of 4:

Common Signs of Skin Barrier Damage

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Abnormal itchiness sensitivity. Because your skin’s defenses are down, more irritants have the opportunity to harm your skin, leaving you itchy and sensitive. If you suddenly experience more skin sensitivity, you may have a damaged skin barrier. ^{[3]
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Dry patches and roughness. You may notice more skin shedding, patches, or even scaly skin if your skin barrier is damaged. A barrier not at its strongest won’t be able to maintain moisture as efficiently.^{[4]
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Breaking out more frequently and severely. A damaged skin barrier will let in more acne-causing bacteria. This can mean more breakouts and harsher symptoms. The symptoms may also last much longer than is typical for your skin.^{[5]
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Section 3 of 4:

Common Causes of Skin Barrier Damage

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Too much product. Overdoing your skin care routine can damage your skin barrier. Although active ingredients like vitamin C, retinols, and acid exfoliants have their benefits, too much can overload your skin and lead to damage.^{[6]
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- Over-exfoliating your skin can cause major skin barrier damage. Scrubs cause little cuts, or microabrasions, in the skin barrier that compromise how well it can do its job.^{[7]
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Unhealthy habits. Smoking restricts blood flow to the skin, limiting its natural healing process and drying it out. The smoke itself exposes the skin barrier to damaging substances, as well. Other lifestyle habits that can affect the skin barrier include alcohol consumption, lack of sleep, and an unhealthy diet.^{[8]
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Allergic reaction. Coming into contact with an allergen will trigger an inflammatory response that can damage the skin barrier. You may have a bad reaction to a new product, but the irritation seems to last much longer than expected. This could mean your barrier has been damaged.^{[9]
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- Patch test new products on less visible skin first to avoid damage over a wide area.
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Disrupted pH. Skin is naturally acidic, about a 5 on the pH scale. If the pH of your skin is not where it needs to be, it can’t promote good or repel bad microorganisms it comes into contact with, leaving you vulnerable.^{[10]
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- Minor shifts in pH are normal, but too much exposure to stronger bases or acids, like soaps and chemical peels, can throw your skin’s pH too far off.^{[11]
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Genetic and environmental causes. Some causes for skin barrier damage are out of your control. Skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis damage the skin barrier. Other factors, such as living in a sunny environment and age, can also gradually damage your skin barrier.^{[12]
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Section 4 of 4:

How to Heal a Damaged Skin Barrier

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Pair down your skin care routine. A short skin care routine with only a couple steps give your sensitive skin space to heal on its own. Keep it simple with just a cleanser, a moisturizer, and sunscreen.^{[13]
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- Once your skin has improved, introduce products with more active ingredients one-by-one. A gradual reintroduction will help your skin get used to the products and prevent causing another overload.^{[14]
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Use a gentle cleanser and lukewarm water. Opt for cleansers that don’t include high amounts of acne-fighting ingredients or alcohols, like salicylic acid or ethanol, which can be drying. Cleansing oils and micellar water provide a gentle, non-stripping clean that can also help with makeup removal. Use lukewarm water when you wash since hot water can strip away your natural oils.^{[15]
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Pick moisturizers that support the skin barrier. Getting moisture back into your skin is a priority for healing a damaged skin barrier. Therefore, a good moisturizer that both pulls in moisture and adds to your skin’s defenses is a must. Look for moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin, vitamin B5, and plant oils like sunflower, soy, or jojoba.^{[16]
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- Ingredients that can also be found naturally on the skin will help your skin barrier build itself back. Moisturizers like Cerave Moisturizing Lotion include ceramides and hyaluronic acid, both already in your stratum corneum and acid mantle.^{[17]
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Gently tap products into your skin. Rubbing in your serums and moisturizers can actually irritate your skin, and being gentle is key to the healing process. Instead, use the tips of the fingers to pat product into your skin.^{[18]
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Avoid too much sun exposure. Sunscreens with an SPF of at least 15 will help cut down on the damage UV rays can cause to your skin barrier. Apply a sunscreen moisturizer all over your face and body to get double the benefits. Wear long clothing and brimmed hats as another means to limit too much direct sunlight.^{[19]
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Speak with your dermatologist. A professional will be able to test for damage, potential water loss, and underlying ailments. With this information, they can make treatment recommendations that will suit your personal needs and body chemistry. Your doctor will also be able to help you in the event the damage is more severe.^{[20]
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