Obviously, your skin is pretty important.
Did you know that your skin is the largest organ in your body? Its main role is to provide a protective barrier between your internal and external environments. Aside from keeping all your insides from falling out (how embarrassing!), your skin protects you from allergens, microbes, UV radiation, and pollution. It also prevents excessive water loss to keep your skin hydrated and radiant. But when your skin is unhealthy, the skin appears aged, dry, and rough—and skin will be more sensitive and prone to eczema.
But skin is more than just a physical barrier. It’s a complex ecosystem composed of:
- The physical barrier
- The acid mantle
- The skin microbiome
These three components work together as an all-for-one, one-for-all kind of deal. An imbalance in any one of them affects the other two. So when the skin barrier isn’t working well, microbes and other irritants see it as an invitation, resulting in some pretty unhappy skin. And your skin will show how upset it is with dryness, flakiness, eczema, acne and other annoying skin conditions.
Healthy Skin Barrier vs Compromised Skin Barrier
The cycle of skin renewal
Your skin is pretty amazing—smart, even. The outermost layer of the skin, known as the stratum corneum (the peach-colored cells called corneocytes in the diagram below), is where your skin barrier health is put to the test: external factors, such as UV, pollution, mechanical stress, and even cleansing constantly challenge your skin’s outer layer. But here’s the good news: healthy skin is resilient, and stands against these external irritants through constant shedding and regeneration. In fact, your skin’s outer layer is completely renewed every 2-3 weeks! That’s pretty smart.
What happens when the skin barrier is unhealthy
All of the components of the skin barrier (the physical barrier, the acid mantle, and the skin microbiome) are necessary to maintain skin health. Problems arise when there are defects in the skin barrier. Because your skin can’t keep in the moisture it needs, you’ll start seeing dry skin. An unhealthy skin barrier is also more vulnerable to allergens and microbial infection. And that can trigger an immune response that results in inflammation, irritation, and itchy skin that may further weaken the skin barrier and affect skin barrier renewal. It’s a vicious cycle that often results in eczema and extra-sensitive skin.
The Solution: Soteri Skin
A healthy skin barrier is critical for healthy and glowing skin. Soteri Skin can be an important part of maintaining healthy skin by correcting your skin’s pH level for 12+ hours. Unlike most skincare that focuses on the physical skin barrier, Soteri improves all three components of the skin barrier, bringing much-needed balance to your skin. When your skin is balanced, it keeps the bad stuff out (like allergens and microbes) and the good stuff in (like moisture). Take care of your skin barrier and it’ll take care of you!
