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Issue link: https://dayspamagazine.epubxp.com/i/192624
You could be hermetically sealed in Building a Better Barrier Seize the window between summer's sun and winter's chills to bolster clients' skin where it matters most. By Katie O'Reilly 52 DAYSPA | NOVEMBER 2013 a temperature-controlled, window-less treatment room, but as a spa pro, you'd probably still be able to determine the current season—perhaps even the month—based on the state of your clients' complexions. Because skin is a sensory organ, the nerve endings of the epidermis respond almost immediately to heat, cold, touch, pressure and pain. And considering that first response naturally occurs within the upper layer of the epidermis, it's critical to keep this layer's barrier functioning properly. As Lynn Warren, sales and marketing director for Hale Cosmeceuticals, explains, "The barrier is our only real solid protection from the environment—a pretty big job for something that measures 75 to 140 microns [0.075 to 0.14 milimeters] in thickness!" The barrier—aka the stratum corneum—is also charged with tracking in the right amount of moisture and regulating the body's transepidermal water loss. "We used to call it the 'active manhole'," says Annet King, director of global education for Dermalogica. "When the barrier is not intact and healthy, the skin is much more susceptible to dryness, itchiness and sensitivity. It's like living in a house without a roof." Explains Lisamarie Jaconi, vice president of sales and education at Naturopathica, "The skin barrier protects the skin by destroying bacteria before it enters. If you strip the skin of that oily outermost film we call the 'acid mantle,' bacteria will find it easy to attack the skin. Not only that, but disrupting the acid mantle may disturb the distribution of dead cells on top of the epidermis, which can lead to skin sensitivity, redness and flaking." Because summer heat and sun exposure typically wreak havoc on the barrier, and winter months can be even more challenging, estheticians need to be in barrier restoration carpe diem mode throughout November. As Rhonda Allison, CEO of Rhonda Allison Skin Care, explains, "Fall is a vital time to offer clients supportive treatments that repair damage—and also boost the barrier function for the cold months ahead." To find out how exactly to strengthen the thin-but-mighty skin barrier and ward off its enemies, DAYSPA approached some industry heavy-hitters with a few crucial questions. © MATTHIAS CLAMER/GETTY