How To Repair Your Skin Barrier! | Dr. Shereene Idriss
Summary
TLDRIn this episode of Pillow Talk Derby Academy, dermatologist Dr. Shireen Idris discusses the importance of skin barrier health. She explains the skin's structure, likening it to a pizza, and emphasizes the role of the skin barrier in protecting against environmental aggressors. Dr. Idris highlights common causes of skin barrier damage, such as stress, weather changes, and over-exfoliation, and offers tips for repair, including simplifying skincare routines and using gentle, hydrating products. She concludes with practical advice for maintaining healthy skin, especially hands, amidst frequent washing.
Takeaways
- 🧬 The skin is the largest organ of the human body and is crucial for overall health.
- 🛡️ The skin barrier is essential for protecting the body from environmental aggressors like toxins and pathogens.
- 🍕 The skin is composed of three main layers: the epidermis (top layer), dermis (middle layer), and subcutaneous tissue (bottom layer).
- 🧱 The skin barrier consists of corneocytes (skin cells) held together by a lipid matrix made of cholesterol, fatty acids, and ceramides.
- 🚨 Signs of an impaired skin barrier include redness, flaking, irritability, itchiness, pain, and burning sensations.
- 🌡️ External factors like extreme weather, allergens, and irritants can damage the skin barrier, as can over-exfoliation and the use of harsh soaps.
- 💧 The skin's acid mantle, a slightly acidic pH, helps to fend off infections and maintain skin health.
- 🧴 To repair the skin barrier, simplify skincare routines, focusing on nourishing and hydrating the skin without over-exfoliating.
- 🛑 Avoid harsh products and ingredients, especially when the skin barrier is compromised, to prevent further irritation.
- 🌱 Consider using gentler exfoliants and occlusives to help restore the skin's lipid barrier and lock in hydration.
- 🌿 Lifestyle adjustments, such as using a humidifier in dry environments, can also support skin barrier health.
Q & A
What is the main topic discussed by Dr. Shireen Idris in the video?
-The main topic discussed is skin barrier health, its importance, and how to maintain and repair it.
Why is the skin considered the largest and most important organ according to Dr. Idris?
-The skin is considered the largest and most important organ because it serves as a protective barrier, and without it, the body would be vulnerable to dehydration and other health issues.
What are the three main components of the skin as simplified by Dr. Idris?
-The three main components of the skin are the epidermis (the topmost layer), the dermis (the middle layer), and the subcutaneous tissue (the bottom layer).
What is the role of the stratum corneum in the skin?
-The stratum corneum is the most upper part of the skin, consisting of corneocytes (skin cells) held together by a lipid matrix, which forms the skin barrier.
What are the main ingredients of the lipid matrix that holds the skin cells together?
-The lipid matrix is made up of cholesterol, fatty acids, and ceramides, which act like the cement that holds the cells together.
What happens when the skin barrier is disrupted or impaired?
-When the skin barrier is disrupted, the skin becomes more susceptible to aggressors such as environmental toxins, pollution, and pathogens, leading to inflammation, redness, irritation, and other negative symptoms.
What are some of the root causes of a damaged skin barrier according to the video?
-Root causes of a damaged skin barrier include intrinsic factors like psychological distress and certain medical conditions, as well as extrinsic factors like extreme weather variations, allergens, irritants, over exfoliating, and the use of harsh soaps or topical steroids.
Why is the skin's acid mantle important for maintaining skin health?
-The skin's acid mantle is important because it helps to kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi, warding off infections and maintaining a healthy skin environment.
What is the first step Dr. Idris recommends to repair a disrupted skin barrier?
-The first step is to simplify the skincare routine by focusing on one pressing skin issue at a time and using products that are nourishing and calming.
What is the role of occlusives and humectants in repairing the skin barrier?
-Occlusives like petrolatum and lanolin lock in hydration, while humectants like glycerin and urea attract and retain moisture, both of which are essential in repairing and maintaining the skin barrier.
How can lifestyle changes help improve skin barrier health?
-Lifestyle changes such as investing in a humidifier for dry environments, using less moisturizer in humid environments, and protecting hands with gloves and glycerin-based creams can help improve skin barrier health.
Outlines
🛡️ Skin Barrier Health Basics
Dr. Shreen Idris starts the video by introducing the topic of skin barrier health, emphasizing its importance as the body's largest organ and a crucial protective layer. She explains the skin's structure, including the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue, and delves into the components of the stratum corneum, which includes corneocytes and the lipid matrix that holds them together. The doctor highlights the role of ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol in maintaining skin integrity. She also discusses the consequences of a disrupted skin barrier, such as inflammation, irritation, and increased vulnerability to environmental aggressors.
🌪️ Causes of Skin Barrier Disruption
The second paragraph delves into the factors that can damage the skin barrier. Dr. Idris mentions intrinsic factors like psychological stress and certain medical conditions, but focuses on extrinsic causes such as extreme weather variations, allergens, irritants, and over-exfoliation. She criticizes the overuse of exfoliating acids and the use of alkaline soaps that disrupt the skin's natural pH balance. The doctor also warns against the overuse of topical steroids, which can weaken the skin barrier over time. She emphasizes the importance of the skin's acid mantle in fighting off infections and the need to maintain this pH balance for healthy skin.
🧴 Repairing and Protecting the Skin Barrier
In this segment, Dr. Idris offers advice on how to repair and protect the skin barrier. She suggests simplifying skincare routines and focusing on one pressing skin issue at a time. The doctor recommends using hydrating cleansers that are close to the skin's natural pH and avoiding harsh exfoliants when the skin is inflamed. She advises taking a break from exfoliating and, upon resuming, to opt for gentler acids. Dr. Idris also discusses the use of occlusives like petrolatum and lanoline to lock in hydration and the importance of using products without essential oils when the skin barrier is compromised.
💧 Enhancing Skin Barrier Health with Humectants and Lifestyle
The final paragraph discusses the use of humectants and occlusives to enhance skin barrier health. Dr. Idris recommends products like La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 and Aveeno's Nourishing Cleanser for sensitive skin. She also mentions the importance of using rich emollients and Triple Lipid Restore by Skinceuticals, which contains ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids. The doctor advises on the care of hands and feet, especially due to frequent hand washing, and suggests using glycerin-based hand creams and wearing latex-free gloves for better absorption. She wraps up with lifestyle tips, such as investing in a humidifier to maintain the right balance of moisture in the environment, which is essential for skin health.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Skin Barrier
💡Dermatologist
💡Stratum Corneum
💡Lipid Matrix
💡Ceramides
💡Intrinsic Factors
💡Extrinsic Factors
💡Over Exfoliation
💡Occlusives
💡Humectants
💡Acid Mantle
💡Hydration
💡Simplification of Skincare Routine
Highlights
Dr. Shireen Idris introduces the topic of skin barrier health and its importance as the body's protective layer.
The skin is the largest organ and crucial for overall health, emphasized by Dr. Idris as more important than other organs like the heart or brain.
Explanation of the skin's structure, comparing it to layers of a pizza with the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue.
The stratum corneum is identified as the skin's outermost layer, crucial for maintaining the skin barrier.
Ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol are highlighted as key components of the lipid matrix that holds skin cells together.
Dr. Idris discusses the consequences of a disrupted skin barrier, including inflammation, irritation, and increased susceptibility to environmental aggressors.
Signs of an impaired skin barrier are listed, such as redness, flaking, and itchiness.
Intrinsic factors like psychological stress and genetic predisposition, as well as extrinsic factors like weather and allergens, are mentioned as causes of skin barrier damage.
The importance of the skin's acid mantle in maintaining its health and protecting against infections is explained.
Dr. Idris warns against over-exfoliation and the use of harsh soaps that can strip the skin of its natural acidity.
Advice on repairing the skin barrier includes simplifying skincare routines and focusing on nourishing the skin.
Recommendations for hydrating cleansers and the avoidance of irritating additives in foaming cleansers are given.
The role of occlusives like petrolatum and lanolin in locking in hydration and repairing the skin barrier is discussed.
Dr. Idris suggests using gentle exfoliating acids like PHAs and reducing their frequency to avoid over-exfoliation.
The use of emollients and humectants to replenish the skin's lipids and maintain moisture is recommended.
Hands and feet care is briefly mentioned, emphasizing the need for extra care due to frequent hand washing and environmental factors.
Lifestyle adjustments, such as using a humidifier, are suggested to support skin barrier health in different environmental conditions.
Dr. Idris concludes with a reminder that skin barrier health is essential and provides a final overview of the discussed topics.
Transcripts
good morning you little nerds i am dr
shireen idris and welcome to your
morning edition of pillow talk derby
academy
where every saturday morning we cover a
new topic from a to z so this week my
friends we are going to talk about skin
barrier health
so put on your chastity belts
because your skin is your barrier now
what do i mean by that
first of all
obviously i'm a dermatologist
so i may or may not be
slightly
a lot
subjective
and not as objective as you'd want me to
be but the truth of the matter is
not only is your skin your largest organ
and that is a fact
but i vote it is your most important
organ because without your skin being
intact you will completely deflate
get dehydrated and fizzle out
i.e you will not have a life i mean the
heart we can keep you on a machine
your brain
debatable whether some people actually
still use their brains but the truth of
the matter is without your skin you
cannot function now the kidneys may be a
little bit more important but that is to
be debated
not a debate for today
um so no but in all seriousness without
your skin being intact a whole slew of a
cascade of unfortunate events can take
place
and
if our skin is meant to protect our
insides then what exactly is protecting
our skin
and that is your skin
barrier
health
and that is the big topic it's been a
huge topic of 2021 where everybody is
all of a sudden skin barrier experts
talking about the skin barrier as if as
if it was the the newest thing since
sliced bread as if it just got recently
discovered
your skin barrier
let's talk about this
your skin itself is made up of various
layers there's three main components if
i had to simplify it there is your
epidermis
the
uppermost topmost upper crust layer of
your skin consider that the cheese of
your pizza
then we have the dermis which is your
marinara sauce and then we have the
subcutaneous tissue which is the dough
so
those are the three layers of pizza and
those are the three layers of your skin
now within the epidermis within the
cheesy layer the cheese is not created
equal all across your pie you have the
gooeyness which is the deeper part and
then you have the crispy
charred uppermost part which is
perfection and that is your stratum
corneum which is the most upper part of
your skin
now within the stratum corneum we have
corneocytes which are skin cells okay
and then we have the glue holding the
corneocytes together and that is what we
call the lipid matrix it is made up of
cholesterol yep we got cholesterol in
our skin
fatty acids and you've heard this one
before
se ramides think of ceramides fatty
acids and cholesterol like the cement
that is gluing the cells together
okay
and that my friends is the skin in a
nutshell now you have your phd
so
without your skin barrier or when it is
disrupted what should we expect
you have inflamed skin your skin is red
your skin is irritated like my toddler
by the way i'm in a mood right now
because i just went through 45 minutes
of screaming so i apologize if i am
slightly delusional
at the moment it is currently 9 30 p.m
while i'm recording this but aggressors
let's take a step
you know what i may or may not choose to
edit this video because i think this
might be pure entertainment but without
your skin barrier what happens
your skin is actually going to be more
open
and available
for aggressors to aggress and what do i
mean by that that means you might have
openings within your skin and aggressors
environmental toxins pollution
a super strong ingredient that you don't
necessarily want to have deeper
penetration for
and get your mind out of the gutter um
different pathogens can wreak havoc on
your skin and you will see your skin
getting completely annihilated inflamed
red irritated it might feel burning it
might feel itchy and you just can't seem
to get it under control and products
your skin might have tolerated for your
whole life all of a sudden will feel
like the worst thing to possibly put on
the surface of your face
so what are signs again of an impaired
skin barrier like i just said redness
flaking
irritability
itchiness
anger pain
burning
basically
all of the negatives in one
and
what causes
what are the what are the root causes of
damaging a skin barrier well let's first
start with intrinsically so
psychologically believe it or not
distress can inflame your skin barrier
because your cortisol levels are out of
whack and that will affect your skin
genetically some people are predisposed
to having a broken skin barrier but that
is a really long topic for another day
and certain medical conditions like
diabetes can break your skin barrier and
you know predispose you to having broken
skin in some places ulcerations etc but
most causes of a broken skin barrier are
actually external so extreme weather
variations and we are living in a day
and age where yesterday i kid you not it
was 60 degrees and today it was snowing
so extreme
fluctuations in weather temperature
um
allergens pollen irritants this is where
sometimes people who have never been
allergic to fragrance all of a sudden
break their skin barrier become allergic
to fragrance because their skin barrier
was disrupted can develop allergies
what else can we say alkaline soaps
soaps that are extremely
basic in their ph which we'll get to in
a minute
over exfoliating that is a big one
that is a big one all of you guys
i feel like exfoliating acids when i
recorded this video over a year ago i
was like it's kind of underestimated
people don't exfoliate then 2021
happened
and everybody became chemist and
everybody started over exfoliating their
faces and the amount of broken skin
barriers and breakouts that i was seeing
in my office from over exfoliating alone
like people using the biloji crochet p50
twice a day every day was insane so over
exfoliating and that's on you um
steroids topical steroids overuse of
topical steroids can break your skin
barrier over time and i mean there's a
bunch of other ones but those are just
kind of hitting the top of the nail so
remember i talked about ph and alkaline
soaps
the reason that can disrupt your skin
barrier is because our skin barrier is
actually slightly acidic
yes we are a little
vinegary
people
okay
um not because we are bitter at life but
just because we're acidic we're a little
spicy like that all of us even the
sweetest of the bunch have an acidic
skin barrier mantle
and why is our acid mantle in place why
does it even exist why does our skin
need to be acidic
because this is the genius of skin
having that slight acidity
enables it to kill bacteria
viruses
fungi
fungi fungi it's still debatable as to
what you want to call it but funguses
whatever infections it helps you ward
them all off and maintain a healthy skin
so when you're using a soap that is too
basic you're over stripping that acidity
when you're over exfoliating you're
getting rid of that acidity when you're
over doing it you're also breaking that
away
making your skin vulnerable to all of
the aggressors in the world because the
world i'm telling you guys is an
aggressive place not just emotionally
but also physically and so
i will tell you this
most often than not
at least in today's day and age and i
would honestly say 7 out of 10 times the
reason your skin barrier is disrupted is
because you my friend
are way overdoing it
so how can you repair your skin barrier
first and foremost and second and third
and fourth and fifth is simplify your
skin care routine and i blame
the media for this
we went on a k beauty craze where all of
a sudden we thought we need 30 steps in
our skincare routine now i myself have
done videos where i talk about various
steps to your skincare routine but if
you listen to the words coming out of my
mouth
i often talk about alternating nights
and not doing everything on the same
night so simplifying your skincare
routine is first and foremost now how do
we simplify our skin care routine the
root
of simplification is focusing your skin
care on one skin issue
focusing it on the most pressing skin
issue and trying to help that issue
first and then tackling the next so that
is golden rule number one
rule number two
once you have focused your skincare on
your skin issue
now we can tailor it by using a
hydrating cleanser for example
especially if our skin berry has already
been disrupted
we want a skin cleanser that is going to
nourish
and really feed our skin
gone are the days of super super super
super stripping super foamy cleansers
foaming cleansers now can actually help
maintain your skin balance but i would
prefer it be a non-foaming maybe call me
a person of habit i still would prefer a
non-foaming cleanser because with foams
there are other additives in there to
make them foam and those additives
themselves can be irritating so you want
a nourishing calming cleanser ideally
with a ph closest to your skin's ph so
closer to approximately five-ish i
actually really like this one by aveeno
they have their common restore
nourishing cleanser for sensitive skin
and i like it because it is also
fragrance free so when your skin barrier
is disrupted you do want to stick to
fragrance-free products and this is a
cleanser i like a lot as you guys can
see it is very thick
it is a gel cleanser is this cleanser
going to be the best cleanser for you
that is going to get your makeup off and
wash your face and do everything all at
once probably not but is it going to
help you get to where you need to be so
you can start living a more healthy skin
life absolutely so that is number one
number two
when it comes to exfoliating acids when
your skin barrier is absolutely
inflamed insane
then we're gonna step back on
exfoliating for a minute okay we're
gonna take it easy and i'm gonna tell
you this
quit it
quit it for a few weeks
you will not become a wart
you will not you will not you will be
okay it is better to go through a period
where you are just focusing on
nourishing your skin
okay
without overstripping it because you're
thinking you're going to try to
compensate for maybe you haven't
exfoliated in 24 hours
and you're going to allow your skin to
calm down
and once you decide to re-enter the
exfoliating game i would strongly advise
you do not go for the strongest thing
right away throw away that red
exfoliating acid from the ordinary or
the sakura baby facial from what are
they called drunken elephant
you want to go for something that is not
as insane or intense okay
usually even for a polyhydroxy acid a
pha
lactobionic maltobionic those acids tend
to be gentler and easier on the skin and
maybe i would say you would only do it
two times a week at night that's it for
a few weeks and we go from there
so that is exfoliating acids
now
after we have
talked about the exfoliating acids a lot
of people
are scared of occlusives but occlusives
like this guy is going to be your best
friend
because this occlusive petrolata
vaseline does not deserve the bad rep
that it gets and putting a thick layer
of all over your face is going to really
lock in hydration on your face and quite
frankly i you'll use this if your my
skin barrier was super inflamed after
even using a strong humectant something
that is glycerin-based and the one that
i love the most and i've spoken about
this a million times and is actually
currently in my shower in my bathroom is
la roche poses sicoplast bone b5 because
it is glycerin based and it has zinc so
that is gonna help calm it and if my
skin barrier is super inflamed i would
put a thick layer of this guy on top of
it
vaseline itself has been proven to block
nearly
99
of water loss so if anything if you
don't want to use even a humectant or a
moisturizer before it i don't blame you
because you want less is more just use
this
and this is not going to be in layer of
voleda and i love
skin food especially for the lips when
you have a broken lip
because i really just like the texture
but
skin food for example has essential oils
and essential oils are not going to be
your friend if you have a broken skin
barrier because you might actually
develop an allergy to it or become even
more irritated so i would avoid the
essential oils altogether
um
so this is a great occlusive
another one that people love is lanolin
and this is called a nipple cream
because women use this while they are
breastfeeding but lanolin is actually
what is in aquaphor it is a wool oil
derivative um so it is not vegan but you
can also use lanolin as an occlusive not
not an exclusive and occlusive and then
finally
the french are obsessed with
homeoplasmin which is another occlusive
that you can actually try super quick
intermission i'm about to mention a
product which i did not give a proper
introduction for but this is a super
rich emollient that is going to help
replenish the lipids within your skin
barrier
i think triple lipid by skinceuticals is
one that is the perfect
combination of two percent ceramides
four percent cholesterol and two percent
fatty acids now do those three
components ring a bell ding ding ding
they were the glue that were holding
your cornea sites together when i was
talking about the cement and it's a
little pricey i'm not gonna lie the
texture is just divine
but the reason it's pricey is because
ceramides are very expensive to
formulate with take it from me um i've
now entered the other side of the
conversation and they are very very very
expensive to formulate with so that's
why usually when you find something of
quality with ceramides it tends to be on
the pricier side but i do really like
this particular product it is silky it
is smooth and it is so beautiful and
last skin barrier health is not just
reserved
for the face we also have our bodies to
worry about and this one by isdin is
uridine lotion which has urea and urea
is also a very strong humectant uh one
that is not to be underestimated
and i love the scent of this it just
feels completely beautiful and lovely so
there you have it
these are the occlusives and the
humectants that i would strongly
recommend you use my husband is just
staring at me like a stalker in the
corner but i'm going to ignore him um so
i strongly recommend you guys use these
occlusives and last completely last i
want to talk quickly very quickly for
two seconds about hands and feet but
hands more specifically because of all
the hand washing we've been undergoing
for the past two years i love this guy
by o'keefe's working hands it is a
glycerin based hand cream and what i
would tell you is if you have a broken
skin barrier especially of your hands
you may get more examines
rashes on your hands really cracky etc i
would use a very generous amount of this
baby
and i would go to sleep and i know this
sounds weird but in latex free gloves
not cotton gloves latex free
plasticky gloves because it will
definitely absorb
better
if you are wearing a cotton glove
you're basically just absorbing the skin
the hand cream in the glove but that is
hands
and comes to lifestyle
invest in a humidifier if the
environment is very very dry if you are
in a very humid environment you do not
need to moisturize as much because like
i said both extremes can actually worsen
your skin barrier health and break it
down so maybe skimp on the moisturizer
in very humid environments and just
focus on maybe an occlusive at night
only and if you're in a very dry
environment
load up on the humectants and the
occlusives and invest in a really good
humidifier and with that
i am dr shireen idris i apologize for
being slightly all over the map this
evening but it has been a crazy
two hours and anybody there with two
toddlers under the age of four will know
what i'm talking about
i hope you have a beautiful and
uneventful saturday i'll see you guys
next week
[Music]
you
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