Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1517908
ASCP SkinPro got a glow-up! Check out new app content at ascpskincare.com/skinpro 33 system become unbalanced, resulting in an unhealthy barrier. We also need to apply appropriate skin care products to assist in balancing these systems. A compromised barrier can present in different forms, such as dry, itchy, or tight skin. It can be red, inflamed, or acneic. It can also present as rough skin. Most of these conditions can be due to a lack of proper hydration in the skin. If your clients come to you in a panic, it's time to look for the root cause and find a solution. INFLAMMATION AND REDNESS Inflammation and redness can occur due to viruses or bacteria entering the skin and Langerhans (immune) cells creating inflammation to ward off the foreign invaders (Image 2). Think of a cat licking you—if you are allergic to cats, the licked spot becomes red and inflamed. That's your Langerhans cells working to remove the foreign invaders. Langerhans cells are right below the stratum granulosum, and if the lipid bilayer system is compromised, inflammation appears. ROUGH AND DRY SKIN In the stratum corneum, enzymes called proteases and glycosidases allow for the desquamation—or release of—dead corneocytes so skin remains soft. These enzymes rely on water to be effective. If we are dehydrated, our enzymes cannot work properly and our corneocytes will not flake off. This results in keratinized, rough skin that can look like thick skin, flaky skin, and closed comedones (Image 3). DISCUSSING TREATMENT PLANS Before creating a treatment plan, ask the client about potential causes for the dehydration in their skin. Is it a new medication, lack of drinking water, too many caffeinated drinks, too much alcohol, or a different medical issue? What about the oil component? Do they eat a diet high in saturated fats and low in omegas 3, 6, and 9? (This condition is rare but can happen and is called essential fatty acid deficiency.) If we are dehydrated from lack of drinking water or not ingesting the proper oils, the acid mantle and lipid bilayer system become unbalanced, resulting in an unhealthy barrier. Image 2 SKIN PHYSIOLOGY