Skin Longevity: Taking Care of Your Skin for the Long Run Learn more
Skin Rescue: How To Heal and Protect Your Skin Barrier
Skin Rescue: How To Heal and Protect Your Skin Barrier
Consider this scenario: Your skin is sensitive, inflamed or plagued by eczema that keeps recurring. Your regular skincare is not working and over-the-counter medication does not help. Perplexed, you reach out to your trusted doctor.
At our clinic, Dr Isabelle Yeoh and Dr Chung Wan Ling often see chronic, baffling skin issues that add stress to the patients. In our high-stress society with high environmental pollution and disruptive factors such as humidity and air-conditioning, chronic skin irritation is often due to a compromised skin barrier.
Your First Line Of Defence
The skin barrier plays a vital role in protecting us from environmental stressors and retaining moisture. Skin cells typically regenerate about every 28 to 30 days. This process, known as skin cell turnover, varies based on factors like age, skin type, and overall health. In younger people, the cycle may be faster, around 20 days, while in older adults, it can slow down, taking longer than 30 days.
During this process, new skin cells form in the deepest layer of the epidermis and gradually move to the surface, where they replace older, dead skin cells that shed naturally. This outermost skin layer, also known as the stratum corneum, is essentially your skin’s first line of defence. When compromised, it can lead to skin irritation, dryness, and even inflammatory skin conditions.
Our Solutions
Key Ingredients
When it comes to finding the right skincare products for skin barrier repair, a plant-based range can offer effective products suitable for sensitive skin. Some of our favourite skincare ingredients with excellent hydration and anti-ageing benefits are: Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Ceramides, Centella Asiatica Extract (Gotu kola), Hyaluronic acid (Sodium Hyaluronate), Squalane, Astaxanthin and Vitamin C.
Clinical Treatments
While a good skincare regimen can help heal and build up the skin barrier, certain conditions call for clinical treatments that offer faster and more targeted solutions for repairing a damaged skin barrier.
Here are the healing treatments recommended by our doctors:
- Thulium 1927nm Laser (for Melasma and Healing)
Certain non-ablative laser treatments can help rejuvenate the skin, stimulate collagen production, and promote the repair of the skin barrier. These treatments are particularly beneficial for individuals with chronic skin barrier issues or scars resulting from barrier damage.
Our Thulium Laser (for Melasma and Healing) is a hydrating and healing treatment that combines the benefits of Ultrasound, Thulium laser, and PDRN (salmon DNA, known for its anti-inflammatory and reparative properties) for a quick yet intensive burst of hydration to rescue and soothe sensitive and inflamed skin.
This treatment is suitable for individuals with sensitive, dry, or inflamed skin. The gentle Thulium laser, combined with healing skin actives, repairs and restores troubled skin, offering the added benefits of reducing the appearance of fine lines and enlarged pores.
Find out more about this treatment here.
- Glass Skin Programme
Microneedling or microinfusion treatments create tiny microchannels in the skin, stimulating natural healing processes. These techniques can help improve overall skin texture and barrier function, especially when combined with hydrating serums that contain growth factors, peptides, or hyaluronic acid.
IYAC’s Glass Skin Program is a series of skin rejuvenating treatments using bio-regenerative polynucleotides (PN) or poly-d-l-lactic acid (PDLLA) to enhance skin health and promote radiance for that fresh, dewy look.
They combat signs of premature ageing and address inflammation by stimulating cellular repair and boosting collagen production.
Unlike traditional botulinum toxin and filler injections, PN and PDLLA activate cellular repair and boost collagen production. Instead of addressing specific lines or grooves, the focus is on strengthening and healing damaged or aged skin, reducing inflammation, and improving the overall appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The Glass Skin Program benefits those who desire that fresh and healthy glow, done naturally.
For more info on this programme.
- Lifestyle Modifications
Maintaining a healthy skin barrier in the long run requires daily efforts in lifestyle management. The basics of sleeping early, getting ample sleep, reducing sugar intake, managing stress levels, and using sunscreen daily sound simple; many of us tend to neglect these factors in our busy lives.
Food and supplements also play an important part in our skin health. Getting enough nutrients such as good protein (lean meat, tofu, etc), fats from avocado and fatty fish, phytophenols from fibre, while supplementing our diet with Omega 3 and 6, with Vitamin D — all of which contribute to wholesome nutrient intake for our skin and overall health.
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If you’re dealing with dry, irritated, or sensitive skin, understanding your skin barrier is key. By avoiding harsh exfoliants and incorporating soothing products like essences and recovery lotions, you can begin to heal.
For more intensive options, consider the Glass Skin Program or Thulium Laser (for Melasma and Healing), along with the gentle benefits of oxygen facials. If you’re uncertain about which treatment is right for you, please email or call us at 6738 9989 to schedule your consultation. We’re here to help you look and feel your best, and we would be happy to guide you on this journey.
* Per MOH guidelines, prescription-only medicines and professional-use-only medical devices must be referred to by their generic terms.
