Understand Your Skin’s Protective Barrier

Our skin is the largest organ on our body; is our first and best defence against external aggressors. It made up of several different components, such as water, protein, lipids, and different minerals and chemicals. It will regenerate itself approximately every 27 days throughout our life. Thus, proper skin care is essential to protect our skin and support its natural defenses.

What’s the role of our skin?

How does our skin barrier work on protecting us?

Skin comprised of many parts and divided into three distinct levels known as Epidermis, Dermis and Subcutis. These layers work like a factory – create new healthy cells and stack like bricks with a “mortar” layered between each call that is composed of healthy lipids. The new cells born in the epidermal layer then continually change form as they rise to stratum corneum layer to skin surface also called as skin barrier. The cells at this outer layer are not only the oldest, but they also are dry and dead. This cycle known as cell turnover. It takes about 30 to 40 days for the formation of a cell to become a dead cell surface on our skin.

From diagram above, can see that our skin is like a brick wall, each brick is held in place with mortar. Our outer layer of skin known as skin barrier is a protective carrier that keeps our body safe from the external world and also retains the water and nutrients inside. Skin barrier will also works constantly to monitor our body temperature and interacts with blood vessels that help oxygen reach the upper layer of skin. If our skin is healthy, external aggressors will not allow to pass through the mortar. However, if your skin is unhealthy or damaged, the mortar has loosen which will allow the external aggressors such as pollutant or bacteria to enter as water and nutrients will escape. Thus, your skin will be dehydrate and look dull and dry.

What causes our skin barrier to be dysfunction?

Our skin barrier’s health can be disrupted by UV radiation, smoking and chronic exposure to pollution. On the other hand, physical damage – genetic makeup, over-exfoliating, over washing or using harsh soap also may impair our skin barrier function. However, lifestyles factors such as stress level and sleep quality will affect your skin barrier’s health too.