The health of your skin barrier determines the overall condition of your skin. Lourette du Toit, a skin and laser specialist and CEO of Dermology Group, shares her tips for healthy, more resilient skin…
The truth is flawless skin doesn’t exist – seasonal changes, breakouts and sensitivity are all completely normal. Lourette says she always ensures a patient’s skin barrier is healthy and happy before starting any treatment. “The skin barrier is essentially your skin’s security system,” she explains. “It protects against damage caused by environmental aggressors and other irritants, such as airborne pollutants and harmful UV rays.” The first sign of a damaged skin barrier is dehydrated or water-dry skin. Other signs that your barrier might be impaired include sensitive, red, itchy and flaky skin. The good news, however, is that there are a few simple ways to take care of the skin barrier.
- LESS IS MORE
“Often I see patients trying to keep up with a 20-step skincare routine while their skin barriers are still unhappy,” says Lourette. “This can actually slow down the process of achieving healthier skin.” Skincare essentials include a good cleanser; a moisturiser; and a SPF 50 broad spectrum. If you have a specific issue you’d like to address, you might find a serum helpful. - STOP TRYING TO SCRUB YOUR OIL AWAY
“Most of the time, my acne patients’ skin barriers are impaired because they are over-exfoliating their skin to try and get rid of excess oil,” says Lourette. “Over-exfoliating strips the barrier of natural lipids, damages the barrier and can possibly even lead to more breakouts.” - USE BARRIER- FRIENDLY INGREDIENTS
Build your barrier with nourishing ingredients. Choose products that contain ceramides, hyaluronic acid (HA), niacinamide and peptides, which allow the skin to retain moisture. - GO LOW AND SLOW
When you incorporate your first serum or active ingredient to address a skin concern, do so conservatively. Gently introduce the active ingredient to your skin. This means starting off by using it once a week for the first month, twice a week for the second month and then if all goes well, try three times a week for the third month. - USE AN SPF
An SPF 50 broad spectrum with blue light protection is non-negotiable in any skincare regime. “If you are serious about getting results, you need to get serious about SPF,” urges Lourette. “These days, we also have to protect our skin against the harmful rays from our TV’s, laptops and cell phones.”
Details: Dermology, Izulu Office Park, Rey’s Place, Ballito; www.dermology.co.za; 064 803 2300; [email protected]; IG: @dermology_africa
