The science shows that petrolatum (aka Vaseline) is an excellent barrier supportive moisturiser, particularly when using prescription-only topical drugs, as these dry out skin, and can cause irritation in the early stages.
Moisture Retention: Vaseline acts as an occlusive agent, forming a barrier on the skin that helps lock in moisture. This can be particularly beneficial for dry or dehydrated skin. Protection: It can protect the skin from harsh environmental factors, such as wind and cold weather, which can aggravate dryness.
Chances are you've tried Vaseline® Jelly (aka “Wonder Jelly”) at some point. But if you're dealing with extremely dry skin, aging skin, or dark spots and haven't checked out Vaseline® Clinical Care it's time. Why? Because it's been shown to rescue hard-to-heal skin with moisture in just 5 days!
If you notice that your skin is starting to show signs of a damaged moisture barrier, don't stress, just try these easy steps. Stop exfoliating (chemical and physical) and focus on repairing your skin. Switch to gentle products that use emollients to not only strengthen the skin but also hydrate and seal in moisture.
If your skin has been feeling dehydrated or thirsty lately, Dr. Kassouf says that slugging can help retain your skin's moisture, while repairing and protecting your skin barrier.
It also serves as a protective barrier, which can help keep out any allergens that can irritate the skin. Lastly, applying petroleum jelly on damaged skin can aid in its repair. In slugging, when petroleum jelly is applied after one's nighttime skincare regimen, it helps “lock in” the other products applied.
Yes, you can use both ointments on your face, and both are often used in slugging. Because it's 100% petroleum jelly, Vaseline is more effective at reducing water loss from the skin. However, it's thicker and greasier than Aquaphor, so some people may prefer to use Aquaphor.
Place a polyethylene sheet under the concrete slab to stop moisture from seeping up. Crawl spaces: Moisture barriers in crawl spaces prevent ground moisture from seeping into the house. Install a heavy-duty polyethylene sheet over the entire crawl space floor, extending it up the foundation walls by about 6 inches.
Here are a few signals that can point to a compromised barrier: Skin looks and feels irritated — it's red, tight, dry, flaky, and itchy.
Marisa Garshick's, top do's and don'ts when it comes to repairing a damaged skin barrier. “It is important to avoid any ingredients that can worsen irritation or further compromise the skin barrier such as harsh soaps, abrasive scrubs, benzoyl peroxide, retinoids or salicylic acid.
To help the injured skin heal, use petroleum jelly to keep the wound moist. Petroleum jelly prevents the wound from drying out and forming a scab; wounds with scabs take longer to heal. This will also help prevent a scar from getting too large, deep or itchy.
Vaseline jelly works to trap moisture into the skin, which helps to keep skin moist, helping it to heal faster. So, slugging helps skin to heal by creating a moist environment that allows your skin barrier to slowly repair itself overnight, while you rest. Allowing you to wake up to soft, smooth, glowing skin.
While Vaseline helps seal moisture into the skin, some experts have suggested that it may also trap in oil and dirt. As such, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) warn that people who are prone to acne may experience breakouts after applying Vaseline to the face.
Don't: Put Vapor Barriers on the Bottom of the Floor Joist in the Crawl Space. Because vapor barriers are good at retaining moisture, putting plastic sheeting on the joists can cause moisture to build up under the floor.
Can You Permanently Damage Your Skin Barrier? The good news is that nothing is permanent when it comes to your skin barrier.
Petrolatum isn't just an occlusive moisturiser, it is also an emollient. It moves into the spaces around skin cells within the stratum corneum to take the place of lost lipids in dry and/or damaged skin, immediately improving the skin's barrier function1, as well as the skin's smoothness and softness.
The time it takes to repair the skin barrier can vary depending on the severity of the damage, the underlying cause, and an individual's skin type. In general, minor skin barrier damage may take a few days to a week to heal, while a more severely compromised barrier may take several weeks to months to fully recover.
Natural oils such as sunflower, sesame, or safflower seed oil have been suggested as good options for their use in promoting skin barrier homeostasis [119].
In terms of feel, Vaseline is a bit heavier and greasier, whereas Aquaphor is a bit lighter and easier to spread. Dermatologists say deciding which one to use often comes down to personal preference. One thing to keep in mind is that you'll want to use caution with these products if your skin is prone to breakouts.
Face Care Routine: DOs and DON'Ts. Slugging should be done as the last step of your nighttime skin routine. You'll layer whichever occlusive you use, such as petroleum jelly, over thinner skin care ingredients, including serums and other moisturizers.
While the petroleum jelly in both Vaseline and Aquaphor can prevent further water loss and help restore skin barrier function, Aquaphor also contains glycerin, a humectant. “Humectants have the added benefit of helping to hydrate skin that has experienced transepidermal water loss,” she says.