What not to use on a damaged skin barrier?

Author: Pierce Walker  |  Last update: Friday, April 4, 2025

Harsh cleansers can strip away the essential moisturising and nourishing substances that keep your skin barrier healthy. Do not use abrasive scrubs as they can cause micro-tears to the skin's surface. Instead, use a gentle, leave-on exfoliant. Use fragrance-free skincare products.

What not to use when skin barrier is damaged?

“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.

What ingredients are bad for a damaged skin barrier?

Some examples of known skin barrier affecting ingredients include retinoid acid, hydroxy acids, amino fruit acids, and beta hydroxy acids. Also watch for alkaline products that can disrupt the skin's normal PH levels as well as products that contain isopropyl parabens, formaldehyde, and isobutyl.

What products destroy the skin barrier?

Using harsh cleansers Jaliman says cleansers containing ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate or any kind of detergent or soap can damage the skin's barrier by stripping the skin of its natural oils.

Can I use vitamin C on a damaged skin barrier?

To help repair a compromised skin barrier, try incorporating these products: Step One: Gentle Cleanser - We love Gentle Cleansing Lotion. Step Two: Vitamin C - If your skin is super sensitive/irritated, stick with a vitamin C derivative like C+ Correcting Complex 30% (the main ingredient is THD ascorbate).

*MUST TRY* Korean Skincare For Healing The Skin Barrier

Does Vaseline repair skin barriers?

When your barrier is weak because you don't have enough lipids in your skin, Vaseline acts as a substitute for these lipids. Remember the brick-and-mortar analogy? Vaseline fills in the cracks in your skin's “mortar” so that your barrier starts to act in a healthy way again.

What ruins skin barrier?

These include: A dry or humid environment. Hot or cold weather. Allergens, irritants, and pollutants.

What is the best moisturizer for a damaged skin barrier?

Our Top Picks:
  • Best Overall: Dr. ...
  • Best for Sensitive Skin: Deinde Barrier-Building Moisture Cream, $64.
  • Best for Dry Skin: Rhode Barrier Restore Cream, $32.
  • Best for Redness: Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream, $119.
  • Best for Oily Skin: SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream, $54.

Is salicylic acid bad for skin barriers?

If your skin can tolerate it, salicylic acid products can be used daily. Just make sure you're not using another exfoliator in addition to your salicylic acid product, or else you can over-exfoliate and damage the skin barrier.

Can I use hyaluronic acid if my skin barrier is damaged?

Whether your skin barrier is damaged or healthy, it's still good to nourish it with repairing ingredients such as fatty acids, cholesterol, ceramides and hyaluronic acid.

What oil is good for skin barrier repair?

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].

Can I use retinol if my skin barrier is damaged?

For now, take out all retinols, acids and active ingredients from your routine. Go back to basics. Revert back to a simple, nourishing cleanser, serum, oil and/or moisturiser. Up the hydration and skin barrier-loving ingredients.

What sunscreen is best for damaged skin barrier?

The best sunscreens for a damaged skin barrier contain ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. Look for mineral sunscreens like CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen for gentle protection and repair.

Should I use toner on damaged skin barrier?

A simple routine will constitute 'gentle cleansing, toning and moisturising' with the addition of skin ingredients such as ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin, vitamins and squalane which help nourish and support the skin barrier. Avoiding harsh or irritating ingredients will also speed up repair.

Does snail mucin repair skin barriers?

Benefits of Snail Mucin for Skin

Moisturizes the skin: According to Dr. Lain, snail mucin contains moisturizing agents that work to repair the barrier function of the skin, both locking out irritants from the environment while also simultaneously locking in moisture.

What is the fastest way to repair skin barrier?

How to Heal a Damaged Skin Barrier
  1. Use a Gentle (but Effective) Skin Cleanser. ...
  2. Look for a Multifaceted Moisturizer. ...
  3. Stay Clear of Over-Exfoliating. ...
  4. Treat Inflammation. ...
  5. Don't Forget to Take Care of Your Body. ...
  6. Take Care of Yourself. ...
  7. Shower With Lukewarm Water. ...
  8. Wear Sunscreen.

Is CeraVe good for damaged skin barrier?

You should also complete your routine with a barrier-repairing cream that is rich in ceramides and lipids. CeraVe's formulas, for instance, contain 3 essential ceramides identical to those found naturally in the skin. Our formulas help protect the skin barrier function, therefore replenishing the lost lipids.

When not to use barrier cream?

Although uncommon, some people may suffer from allergic contact dermatitis to components such as preservatives, fragrances, and other ingredients in barrier creams. Some occlusive barrier creams may also aggravate acne when applied to the face. Most barrier creams should not be applied directly to broken skin.

Can vaseline repair skin barriers?

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.

Why won't my skin barrier heal?

“There are many things that can break down your skin barrier and make it not work,” Dr. Piliang notes, like: Using harsh chemicals or soaps. Over-exfoliating or scrubbing your skin.

Does vitamin C damage the skin barrier?

Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, support the skin's barrier function by enhancing the production of barrier lipids (remember, a damaged skin barrier happens when too many lipids are broken down). Antioxidants also have natural healing properties to reduce inflammation and protect against water loss.

Is Aquaphor or Vaseline better for damaged skin barrier?

According to Dr. Paul, Aquaphor can also be better for extremely dry, cracked skin and healing minor skin irritation. “It provides additional hydration and barrier protection beyond what Vaseline offers,” she says. In other words, break out the Aquaphor when your skin has extra needs beyond basic moisturizing.

Which oil repairs skin barrier?

Shea butter, jojoba oil and squalene have components similar to the structure of human sebum, making them a natural fit to protect your skin's barrier. Plant oils rich in omegas are Borage Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, and Flaxseed Oil.

When should you stop putting Vaseline on a wound?

This will help keep the wound moist and allow it to heal faster with less scarring. Continue applying the petroleum jelly until the wound has fully healed. Open wounds heal more slowly. A large wound can take 4 weeks or more to heal.

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