What Is Your Skin Barrier and How Do You Repair It?

Here’s a little riddle for ya: What has more than 1.7 billion (yes, with a “b”) views on TikTok, plays a role in conditions ranging from acne to eczema, and is currently all the rage when it comes to skin care products? If you guessed the skin barrier—congratulations, you are correct.

Unlike some other trending skin care topics, the skin barrier is a very real thing, and one that plays an integral role in healthy skin function, according to the experts SELF spoke with. We’ll get to the specifics in a moment, but the skin barrier is well, exactly what it sounds like—a protective layer that’s responsible for keeping the good stuff in and the bad stuff out.

A variety of factors can take a toll on this skin shield of sorts—it’s why #SkinBarrierRepair videos are also racking up millions and millions of views on TikTok and allegedly barrier-repairing products are all over the place. Here, top dermatologists explain exactly why you should care about the skin barrier and how to tell if yours needs a little extra TLC.

What is your skin barrier, anyway?

“In the simplest terms, it’s the skin’s protective layer,” Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine, tells SELF. “Our skin is what protects our body, and the skin barrier is what protects the skin.” Technically speaking, this protective layer is called the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the epidermis.¹

To get a better sense of how the stratum corneum functions, it might be helpful to picture a brick wall: “The ‘bricks’ are cells called corneocytes, which are held together by the ‘mortar,’ a mix of lipids including fatty acids, cholesterol, and ceramides,” Robyn Gmyrek, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Union Derm in New York City, tells SELF. This “brick wall” creates a barrier that prevents harmful bacteria, chemicals, irritants, and allergens from getting into the skin, while simultaneously locking in necessary hydration, Dr. Gmyrek explains.

What kinds of things can affect the skin barrier?

Really, the question should be what doesn’t affect it. A bunch of internal and external factors can damage or weaken the stratum corneum, according to the dermatologists we talked to. For example, some people are naturally deficient in filaggrin, a protein that strengthens the skin barrier, making them more predisposed to dryness and irritation, Dr. Gohara says.² (More on other signs that your skin barrier isn’t in great shape in a sec.)

Externally, many grooming and skin care routines can also change and damage it, such as using harsh soaps, over-exfoliating, taking extra-hot showers, and waxing, she adds. “Environmental factors can also weaken the skin barrier, including low humidity and dramatic temperature changes,” Naana Boakye, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Bergen Dermatology in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, tells SELF.³ All of the above can alter and deplete those aforementioned lipids, that “mortar” in between the cells. Essentially, that brick wall that was once solid can start to develop cracks and crevices.

Point being: There’s no shortage of factors that can damage the outermost layer of the skin. “When the integrity of the skin barrier becomes compromised, the cells and lipids are altered, and there’s an increase in transepidermal water loss, or TEWL,” Dr. Gmyrek says.⁴ Simply put, TEWL is the amount of water that evaporates from the surface of your skin. When your skin barrier is healthy, you have less TEWL because, again, that brick wall is nice and sturdy. When it’s compromised, TEWL increases through all of those aforementioned cracks. If and when that happens, it will be pretty easy to tell….

What are the signs of a weakened skin barrier?

Brace yourself for a lengthy list. “Dryness, itching, skin that feels tight, redness [in lighter skin tones], flaking, inflammation—these are all signs that your skin barrier is sending you an SOS,” Dr. Gohara says. (She also notes that you may experience one or any combination of these symptoms.) Another tell-tale sign your stratum corneum isn’t functioning normally: Your skin being more reactive or stinging after you apply products, even ones you use regularly, or just generally feeling more irritated. This can be caused by a lack of protection, which allows more chemicals, pollutants, and irritants to get into the skin, notes Dr. Gmyrek.

Skin barrier dysfunction is also inextricably intertwined with having sensitive skin. “Many of my patients who think they have sensitive skin actually just have damaged skin barriers,” says Dr. Gmyrek. In other words, if you’re someone who experiences discomfort every time you use a skin care product, or whose skin is perpetually red and inflamed, a compromised skin barrier may be partly to blame. It’s also linked with conditions such as atopic dermatitis, a type of eczema, as well as psoriasis. According to the National Eczema Association, people with atopic dermatitis develop inflammation that damages the skin barrier; they’re also likely to have lower levels of filaggrin in their skin.

Can you really repair your skin barrier?

The short answer: Yes. But it’s important to keep in mind that the skin barrier is more than capable of repairing itself—and that it will automatically try to on its own. “Your body goes into repair mode every time it’s damaged. It’s constantly being repaired,” Dr. Gmyrek says. “There are a variety of self-repair mechanisms at play, including an increase in production of lipids such as ceramides and an increase in natural moisturizing factors, which help maintain moisture and reduce water loss,” she explains.⁶

That said, you don’t necessarily have to sit back and do nothing if your skin is freaking out. “The skin barrier has its own regenerative capacity, but there are also things you can do to help facilitate the recovery process,” Dr. Gohara explains. As a general rule of thumb, moisturizing (at least twice per day) is going to be your best move. “Moisturizers are important for improving and maintaining barrier function and can help both prevent and repair damage,” Dr. Gmyrek says.

Most moisturizer formulas contain three categories of ingredients: humectants, which attract water to the skin; emollients that soften and smooth the surface; and occlusives, which sit on top and seal in moisture. All of these can help create a healthier environment in which the skin can better repair itself, Dr. Gmyrek explains.

If you want to take it one step further, seek out moisturizers that list ingredients that will actually help repair the barrier itself. The most common ones are ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol—all of which, again, are components of that “mortar” in the brick wall analogy, Dr. Gmyrek says. They can help compensate for a deficiency in your skin’s natural lipids and ultimately aid in barrier repair.

But what you don’t do and the products you’re not using when your face’s protective layer is out of whack is equally as important. For starters, if you have any of the above symptoms of a damaged skin barrier, exfoliating is the last thing you should do, Dr. Boakye cautions, as it will only make things worse, causing further damage and irritation. That means pausing on facial scrubs, as well as laying off any products that contain chemical exfoliants such as alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, or retinoids until your skin calms down.

Also important: Steer clear of any products that list “fragrance” as an ingredient, as those chemicals can enter through the damaged barrier and cause an irritant or allergic reaction, Dr. Gmyrek says.⁷ Avoiding sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is also a smart move, she says; it’s a common ingredient found in cleansers that can dry out the skin in people who are sensitive, exacerbating barrier damage.⁸ (Here are some non-drying face washes that are SLS-free.)

What are the best products to help repair and maintain a healthy skin barrier?

Here’s a simple line-up of derm-approved go-tos to reach for when your skin barrier is going through a tough time and needs your support.

BYOMA Creamy Jelly Cleanser ($13, Target): Fragrance- and sodium lauryl sulfate-free, this face wash is mild and moisturizing, yet still effective. Pro tip: After washing your face, gently pat dry with a towel, rather than rubbing it across your skin, suggests Dr. Gohara. (Rubbing will only further up the likelihood of irritation.)
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ($19, Amazon): One of Dr. Gmyrek’s top picks, this is made with three types of ceramides that help bolster the skin barrier, and works equally well on the face or body.
SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore ($150, Dermstore): While this is a pricey one, Dr. Gmyrek says this luxe face cream is still well worth it, given that it contains not only ceramides, but also fatty acids and cholesterol, two other components naturally found in the skin barrier.
Avene Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream ($42, Dermstore): This multi-tasking cream is fragrance- and alcohol-free, and safe for infants, kids, and adults. It contains glycerin to attract hydration to the skin, as well as mineral oil and beeswax to help lock it in, creating a better environment for barrier repair.
Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm ($27, Amazon): For super compromised, extra dry, itchy skin on the body, reach for this ointment-like balm. It contains both ceramides and skin-soothing colloidal oatmeal, and is so gentle that it even touts the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Approval.
EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 ($41, Dermstore): Don’t forget your sunscreen! “UV rays can further damage and break down the skin’s protective layer,” says Dr. Boakye. This contains non-irritating mineral sunscreen ingredients, as well as niacinamide, which Dr. Gmyrek notes can help boost ceramide production.

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