Use fresh, raw aloe vera for best results. Use Antioxidant-Rich Skincare Antioxidants are the stars of the show when it comes to skincare. Vitamin C, vitamin E, and Vitamin A are great for the skin because of their regenerating properties. Using antioxidants can help you brighten up your skin, minimize dark spots, and nourish it.

To reap the benefits of skin-loving antioxidants, opt for products that contain vitamins C, E, or A as one of their main ingredients.

Serums and creams will be your new best friend, as they are easy to apply and soak deep into your skin. You can also increase your intake of nutrient-rich foods, like leafy greens, healthy fats, and lean protein. Stay Hydrated Water, water, water!

Dehydration can cause tight, dry skin, giving it a dull appearance. Shoot for eight glasses a day to keep your skin glowing and supple. Slather on the Moisturizer Especially in dryer months, a good moisturizer is a saving grace.

Moisturizer helps hydrate your skin, but it also helps lock in any moisture throughout the day. That way, your skin will feel soft and nourished for longer. Pro Tip : Use your moisturizer after you shower. When your skin is wet and fresh out of the shower, it helps boost the moisturizing properties of your skincare!

The skin is soft and ready to absorb any moisture you lather onto it. Avoid These Skin Irritants. Skincare is more than just moisturizer and serums. Attend our skincare program and become a registered facial specialist in as little as 11 weeks!

Skincare experts will show you all the ins and outs of dermatology, facials, microdermabrasion, and more. Victoria Moorhouse is a writer, editor, and consultant based in Brooklyn, New York who focuses on beauty, fitness, and health. Victoria was previously the Senior Beauty Editor at InStyle.

com and a Senior Editor at POPSUGAR. Her work can also be found in notable publications such as Shape. com, The Zoe Report, Forbes.

She graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Professional Writing. If you're noticing that your skin looks especially dry or dehydrated , your first instinct might be to load up on the moisturizer.

However, if that doesn't do the trick and symptoms only seem to worsen, you may be dealing with more than just dry skin. It could be that your skin barrier is damaged.

According to dermatologist Claire Y. Chang, M. atopic dermatitis aka eczema — loss of moisture can occur. The result is dry skin that is often accompanied by irritation and inflammation. While this can be uncomfortable, fortunately, it can be treated.

To find out how, we tapped Dr. Chang and dermatologists Stacy Chimento, M. and Patricia Wexler, M. for their best tips and advice. According to Dr. Chimento, the skin barrier is the outermost layer of the skin that functions to keep all of the good things in and the bad things out. Chimento explained.

The skin barrier also holds high levels of ceramides that protect the immunologic and homeostasis health of the skin, added Dr. Wexler, a dermatological surgeon. In addition to dry, inflamed skin, Dr.

Chimento said a sign of a damaged skin barrier is when you experience symptoms like scaly skin, acne, itchiness, discoloration, or bacterial or fungal infections. Another cause of barrier impairment? External aggressors.

For example, dry weather, allergens, environmental pollution, over-exfoliation, and using harsh soaps or detergents can all damage the skin barrier, noted Dr.

Chang, who recommended avoiding excess sun exposure, which disrupts your skin barrier and causes premature skin aging.

The key to repairing your skin barrier is keeping it simple and hyper-focusing on moisturizing. Fortunately, this is a relatively quick and easy fix that can be done from the comfort of your own home. Here are five expert-approved ways to fix and restore a damaged skin barrier:.

Skincare routines with 10 steps may sound like they're addressing every type of skincare concern. However, for some, they may actually be contributing to skin issues.

Using too many actives and combining ingredients that shouldn't be mixed together can result in a damaged skin barrier, according to Dr.

Simplify your skincare routine by limiting the number of products you use. Your skin — and wallet — will thank you. Chang suggested external aggressors, such as excess sun exposure, dry weather, allergens, and environmental pollution , can cause barrier impairment — but that's not all.

The CeraVe brand partner added that harsh soaps, scrubs, excess exfoliation, and long, hot baths can also irritate the skin barrier. Protecting yourself against environmental aggressors by using a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen and products with free-radical-fighting antioxidants, like those found in Dr.

Chimento said to look for skincare ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, or glycerin in your product formulas to improve dryness and strengthen your skin barrier. Chang also recommended using humidifiers during the winter to keep the air and your skin moisturized.

If your damaged skin barrier is the result of an allergic reaction — perhaps to a new skincare product — you may experience stinging, burning, blotchiness, and more breakouts. Consider swapping out most of your go-to serums, oils, and cleansers for mild read: less likely to irritate and with little actives formulas.

Inflammation is another symptom of a compromised barrier. To find relief, look for anti-inflammatory ingredients, such as calendula , niacinamide, witch hazel, and ceramides.

That means drinking more water, using more moisturizer, and incorporating a humidifier into spaces you frequent most. Take note if you find that your skin is constantly irritated after using a certain product. On that note, also press pause on products formulated with aggressive active ingredients—including AHAs, BHAs, enzymes, retinoids, and benzoyl peroxide—until your skin is healthy again.

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List of Partners vendors. Style Skincare. Not all skin care ingredients work for everyone. Symptoms such as dryness, itching, and inflammation can alert you to a disturbance in this important barrier. Keeping it healthy is much more than a cosmetic concern.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. What you eat affects many aspects of health — including your skin. Here are 12 foods and beverages to add to your diet for better skin health. Taking care of your skin should be an essential part of your health regimen.

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When it comes to clear skin, there are many proven steps you can take to reduce acne breakouts and keep your skin looking radiant and healthy.

Learn the ideal skin pH measurement, how you can figure out what yours is, and what it says about your skin. A konjac facial sponge is a natural skin care product made from an Asian root plant. It can cleanse and gently exfoliate most skin types. Learn more…. Severe dry skin is a common condition that typically responds well to treatment.

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Find out what KA looks like and how to prevent it. A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic? How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Skin Care. What to Know About Your Skin Barrier and How to Protect It.

Medically reviewed by Reema Patel, MPA, PA-C — By Rebecca Joy Stanborough, MFA — Updated on August 31, What is it? Damage Signs of damage How to protect Bottom line Your skin barrier protects your body from free radicals. What can damage your skin barrier? How can you tell if your skin barrier is damaged?

How to protect and restore your skin barrier. The bottom line. How we reviewed this article: Sources. The skin barrier also holds high levels of ceramides that protect the immunologic and homeostasis health of the skin, added Dr.

Wexler, a dermatological surgeon. In addition to dry, inflamed skin, Dr. Chimento said a sign of a damaged skin barrier is when you experience symptoms like scaly skin, acne, itchiness, discoloration, or bacterial or fungal infections. Another cause of barrier impairment?

External aggressors. For example, dry weather, allergens, environmental pollution, over-exfoliation, and using harsh soaps or detergents can all damage the skin barrier, noted Dr. Chang, who recommended avoiding excess sun exposure, which disrupts your skin barrier and causes premature skin aging.

The key to repairing your skin barrier is keeping it simple and hyper-focusing on moisturizing. Fortunately, this is a relatively quick and easy fix that can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Here are five expert-approved ways to fix and restore a damaged skin barrier:. Skincare routines with 10 steps may sound like they're addressing every type of skincare concern. However, for some, they may actually be contributing to skin issues.

Using too many actives and combining ingredients that shouldn't be mixed together can result in a damaged skin barrier, according to Dr.

Simplify your skincare routine by limiting the number of products you use. Your skin — and wallet — will thank you. Chang suggested external aggressors, such as excess sun exposure, dry weather, allergens, and environmental pollution , can cause barrier impairment — but that's not all.

The CeraVe brand partner added that harsh soaps, scrubs, excess exfoliation, and long, hot baths can also irritate the skin barrier.

Protecting yourself against environmental aggressors by using a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen and products with free-radical-fighting antioxidants, like those found in Dr. Chimento said to look for skincare ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, or glycerin in your product formulas to improve dryness and strengthen your skin barrier.

Chang also recommended using humidifiers during the winter to keep the air and your skin moisturized. If your damaged skin barrier is the result of an allergic reaction — perhaps to a new skincare product — you may experience stinging, burning, blotchiness, and more breakouts. Consider swapping out most of your go-to serums, oils, and cleansers for mild read: less likely to irritate and with little actives formulas.

Inflammation is another symptom of a compromised barrier. To find relief, look for anti-inflammatory ingredients, such as calendula , niacinamide, witch hazel, and ceramides. The skin barrier holds high levels of ceramides that protect the immunologic and homeostasis health of the skin, Dr.

Wexler told us. Using products with ceramides will help to reinforce its strength. For a DIY approach, consider making a face mask with common household ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties like aloe, cucumber, and colloidal oatmeal. If you've revised your skincare routine but are still unsure about which products to use, ask a dermatologist.

She also advised gently patting products on your face instead of rubbing, which could trigger an allergic response.

When it comes to clear skin, there are many proven steps you can take to reduce acne breakouts and keep your skin looking radiant and healthy. Learn the ideal skin pH measurement, how you can figure out what yours is, and what it says about your skin. A konjac facial sponge is a natural skin care product made from an Asian root plant.

It can cleanse and gently exfoliate most skin types. Learn more…. Severe dry skin is a common condition that typically responds well to treatment.

Some types of self-care treatment may help relieve the severely dry…. There's a myth that darker skin doesn't get sunburned, but is it true? Find out what KA looks like and how to prevent it. A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic? How Well Do You Sleep?

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Skin Care. What to Know About Your Skin Barrier and How to Protect It.

Medically reviewed by Reema Patel, MPA, PA-C — By Rebecca Joy Stanborough, MFA — Updated on August 31, What is it? Damage Signs of damage How to protect Bottom line Your skin barrier protects your body from free radicals.

What can damage your skin barrier? How can you tell if your skin barrier is damaged? How to protect and restore your skin barrier. The bottom line. How we reviewed this article: Sources.

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations.

We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Aug 31, Written By Rebecca Joy Stanborough, MFA. Medically Reviewed By Reema Patel, MPA, PA-C. Share this article. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP. The 12 Best Foods for Healthy Skin. The 4 Best Vitamins for Your Skin.

Made of proteins and lipids, the skin barrier also protects your body from free radicals, pollutants, and irritating environmental factors. When the barrier is healthy, skin looks radiant. If your skin barrier does have damage, there are steps you can take to repair it.

Ahead, we consulted expert derms on how to determine if your skin barrier is damaged and the best ways to get it back on the road to recovery. More often than not, dryness, redness, or irritation is a telltale sign of a compromised skin barrier, says Pennsylvania-based dermatologist Lindsey Zubritsky.

Disrupting your skin barrier is easier than you might think. Instead of frantically using skin barrier repair ingredients as a Band-Aid, opt for targeted ingredients to strengthen your barrier to prevent any damage.

Murad recommends ingredients that support the skin microbiome, like probiotics, oats, and ceramides. Excessive UV exposure can harm the barrier by dehydrating skin, Zubritsky notes. It can also be helpful to incorporate humectant ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to promote long-lasting hydration.

Inflammation and a damaged skin barrier go hand in hand. Here are some of the most common signs of a compromised skin barrier:. A damaged skin barrier needs restoration. Step one: Help replace depleted skin lipids by applying oils that are chock-full of antioxidants , such as sunflower and safflower oils, which hydrate with linoleic acid.

Beware of heavily fragranced varieties, such as mint or citrus oils, which can irritate sensitive skin. Products containing panthenol—a vitamin B-5 derivative—also work as healing lubricators, as do products with niacinamide , an ingredient that increases ceramide production and restores skin barrier function.

A damaged epidermis requires moisture , so keeping your face and body well hydrated is critical in the fight to restore and maintain a healthy skin barrier.

Reach for creams, lotions and serums that contain moisture-binding humectants, such as glycerin, sorbitol and hyaluronic acid. The latter is also a powerful anti-aging ingredient that locks in moisture and improves elasticity to help you retain plump, youthful-looking skin.

Harsh chemicals in acne-fighting products , over-exfoliation and retinoid use are all culprits that can inflame conditions like eczema and rosacea. To keep redness and dry, flaky skin at bay, discontinue use of such aggravating products until your skin heals, and then stagger use of anti-acne and anti-aging ingredients to every other day or a few times a week.

Ditch cleansers and toners with astringents altogether, opting for those with calming ingredients like colloidal oatmeal—a natural anti-irritant—to help soothe redness.

Sun exposure is one of the leading causes of a damaged skin barrier, and continued exposure to UVA and UVB rays impedes skin-barrier restoration.

You can also work from the inside out: A diet rich in essential fatty acids or an omega-3 supplement can also help nourish and soothe the skin. This article has been reviewed by board-certified dermatologist Dr.

Emmy Graber.