A little history of the skin barrier

Sometimes we want to drive out of her.More often, however, we are happy when we can lazily lie down on them.Of course there are also times when it goes deep below.We are of course talking about the skin, the largest sensory organ in the human body.The receptors in our skin perceive touch, temperature, pressure and pain stimuli.

Above all, the so-called cutis is a protective wall to the inside and outside.It prevents us from losing too much moisture from the body, but it also protects us against external influences such as bacteria and viruses.The fact that the latter - extremely vital - function is possible at all is the responsibility of the so-called stratum corneum, in English: the skin barrier.And it is precisely this barrier that we should protect by all means!

The skin barrier as a brick wall

Before confronting conservation, it is important to understand how this wall against the harmful environment is constructed: The skin consists of three layers: the outer skin, called the epidermis; the leather skin lying in the middle, the dermis and the hypodermis, the subcutis.When we talk about the skin barrier, we always mean the outward-facing layer of the epidermis (which is at least 150 layers thick).

To explain the function of this layer of protection, dermatologists like to become bricklayers and compare the barrier to a brick wall.But that's how it's built.Horny cells, i.e. dead cells, are the thick "bricks", the food responsible for cohesion consists of lipids, including ceramides and cholesterol.Bricked in this way, they form a dense construct, a physical wall.

Emulsifiers - the damage to the skin

Unfortunately, this wall - let's stay with the image - is in danger of collapsing.Because even a little deficiency or incorrect care can have dangerous effects.Frequent washing, aggressive skin cleansing agents or simply the all-too-popular emulsifiers (binders for oil and water) in creams ensure that the “food” mentioned above is washed out between the horny cells.In addition, the protective sebum layer is also damaged - and thus more moisture can escape from the skin.A real vicious cycle that you absolutely have to escape from.

But it's not just the wrong care products that cause problems.UV radiation, environmental pollution, tobacco smoke, products with the wrong pH value, poor nutrition and stress also cause the protective wall to crumble over time.The result is not only premature skin aging – but a real health hazard.

How to recognize the problems

The first sign of such barrier defects is dry skin.It announces itself with a noticeable feeling of tension and turns into the formation of light scales.The skin then tears – it is quite enough that these slits are microscopically small.For viruses, bacteria or allergy-causing substances, they are the size of wide-open barn doors.Other markers for a damaged stratum corneum are redness, inflammatory spots, pimples, itching or dark spots (hyperpigmentation) and rosacea/eczema.Anyone who discovers these changes should see their trusted dermatologist as soon as possible.

A salvation called biomembrane

If the child has fallen into the proverbial well, or rather, the brick wall has collapsed, then it takes time.Because there are still no simple and quick solutions today – but there are long-term ones.Organic cosmetics is the keyword.In particular, products based on the revolutionary bio-membrane principle developed by skincare pope Bernd Kuhs can repair the damage.Kuhs' Skincare creams, serums and natural masks - marketed under the name 48grams - imitate the lamellar structure of skin fat.This achieves the effect that active ingredients can penetrate deeper into the skin and a re-sealing takes place.

7 tips for a healthy skin barrier

There are also a few very simple tips to keep in mind:

• Pay attention to gentle facial cleansers! Aggressive products or classic block soaps only achieve the effect that the skin is deprived of moisture and nourishing substances.

• Always use lukewarm water! Too high or too low temperatures cause unnecessary irritation of the skin.

• Avoid coarse peelings, so-called scrub peelings! This can result in the smallest tears in the skin - or existing injuries can be enlarged.

• All skin care products should be free of fragrances or essential oils! They ensure that the skin becomes more sensitive and thus the own repair skin effect is reduced or stopped.

• Always ensure sufficient UV protection! Every day.After all, exposure to the sun always has an effect on the skin barrier.

• Skin repair creams with a high hyaluron content, ideally with oligo hyaluronic acid, work deep into the skin.The same applies to hyaluron masks.

• In order to keep the skin's moisture balance balanced, aloe vera masks should be used, preferably with aloe vera from Mallorca.

Stops the wash-out effect from the skin

Those who follow these guidelines will soon have friends with healthy skin again.Conclusion: The optimal skin care should be aimed at strengthening orthe long-term preservation of the protective barrier.

Finally, a reminder, or better… an appeal to reason: Today, nobody can turn a blind eye to the harmful effects of artificial emulsifiers, mineral oils and silicones.Emulsifiers dissolve the skin's natural fat layer.To put it drastically: the next time you wash, the emulsifiers ensure that fat combines with water and can thus be literally wiped off your face.This is the infamous “washout effect”.

Mineral oils, on the other hand, form a film on the skin that creates a silky feeling.But: Mineral oils do not fit into the natural structures.The result: they too can cause long-term damage to the skin's protective barrier.Therefore: the way to a solution is to use Bio Cosmetics products.