How to Heal Your Skin Barrier in ONE WEEK | Dermatologists Explain, by Doctorly on YouTube. 16 min 18 s.
- Video length
- 16 min 18 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes a day for a week
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Stop all actives at once: retinol, acids, scrubs, vitamin C and exfoliating brushes. Your skin needs a break before anything else can help.
Wash with lukewarm water and a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser such as Vanicream or CeraVe Hydrating. Use your hands, no cloth, and rinse for a few seconds only.
Pat skin dry and apply a ceramide moisturiser while it is still slightly damp. Press it in rather than rubbing.
Seal dry or cracked patches with a thin layer of petrolatum or a zinc oxide cream such as Aquaphor or Desitin. Do this at night.
Use a soothing repair balm like La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 or Avène Cicalfate+ on red, irritated areas. Apply a small amount twice a day.
Wear sunscreen every morning, even indoors near windows. Choose a gentle mineral or fragrance-free formula and reapply if you go outside.
Keep the routine to cleanse, moisturise and protect for at least seven days. Add nothing new until stinging and flaking settle.
Tips and common mistakes
Skip hot showers and long baths, since heat and water strip oils from the skin.
Patch test any new product on your inner arm for 24 hours before using it on your face.
If burning, swelling or a spreading rash appears, stop and see a doctor rather than layering more creams.
Questions
How do I know my skin barrier is damaged?
Common signs are stinging when you apply products that used to feel fine, tightness after washing, flaking and redness. These usually ease within a week of gentle care.
Can I use a serum while repairing my barrier?
Keep it simple and skip serums with acids or retinol. A plain hydrating mist or essence is fine if your skin does not sting when you apply it.
How long until my skin feels normal again?
Mild irritation often calms in about a week with gentle cleansing and moisturising. If it is not improving after two weeks, see a dermatologist.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
