What is the skin barrier? The outermost layer of the skin, called the stratum corneum, is made up of 20 flat, interwoven layers of keratinocytes. The keratinocytes are as tough as “bricks” and are interspersed with “mortar” lipids that connect the keratinocytes closely to each other to form a “brick wall structure”. There is also a protective film (hydrolipidic film) composed of sweat and sebum on its surface, which together form the barrier of the skin. The skin barrier locks in the moisture and oil of the skin and resists the invasion of various skin surface germs, which plays a very important role in protecting human health. What are the medical skin care products that repair the skin barrier? Skin care products for skin barrier repair mainly replenish the “water-lipid film” on the skin surface and the “mortar” between the cells by moisturizing them, thus strengthening the “brick wall structure” of the skin surface. Therefore, moisturizing skin care products to repair the skin barrier should have three basic ingredients: 1. Moisture absorbers, including glycerin and urea, can absorb water from the environment and replenish the water lost from the stratum corneum. 2. 2.Closing agent raw materials such as petroleum jelly, avocado oil, etc., can form a thin hydrophobic oil film on the skin surface, which has the effect of reinforcing the skin barrier. 3.Adding “bionic” raw materials with the same or similar composition as epidermis and dermis, which have the effect of repairing skin barrier, such as natural moisturizing factor, cymbopogon oil, ceramide, hyaluronic acid, etc. In addition to the above three ingredients added, medical skin care products have higher and more stringent standards and need to have a high level of safety, clear efficacy, and extensive clinical validation. What skin conditions require medical skin care products! Eczema, atopic dermatitis: This is the most common kind of chronic recurrent skin disease, in the acute phase manifested as swelling, vesicles, oozing, in the chronic phase manifested as dry, flaky. Moisturizing medical skin care products are the basis of treatment for the chronic phase of these disorders (skin care products should not be used during the acute vesicular and exudative phase). For patients in the mild chronic stage, moisturizing skin care products alone may alleviate the condition. For patients with persistent or obvious skin lesions, moisturizing skin care products should be used in conjunction with drug therapy. After the lesions are controlled, consider discontinuing the medication and continue using moisturizing skin care products to reduce the recurrence of this type of dermatitis. For patients with atopic dermatitis, even normal-looking skin is dry, so moisturizing skin care products are also needed to reduce its flare-ups. Psoriasis: The basic treatment for psoriasis is moisturizing skin care, along with the use of appropriate topical medications or ultraviolet light therapy and, if necessary, systemic oral or injectable medications. However, oral medications for this disease, such as Aveda or phototherapy, can aggravate the dryness of the skin, so it is more important to use moisturizing skin care at this time. Erythroderma: Erythroderma is a serious skin disorder that manifests as redness, swelling and flaking of the skin all over the body. This type of dermatitis makes the patient extremely uncomfortable and may cause bacteria on the skin surface to enter the human bloodstream through the damaged skin barrier and cause secondary bacterial infections throughout the body. When the lesions are dry and flaky, it is advisable to use oily petroleum jelly ointment or boric acid ointment topically, and when the erythroderma is fine branched scales, it is advisable to use cream-based moisturizing skin care products with better comfort. Hormonal dermatitis: moisturizing skin care is the key to treatment. After 3 days or so of hormone discontinuation, there will be a rebound of symptoms (i.e. unpleasant dryness, itching, burning and other symptoms are aggravated), you must insist on using moisturizing skin care products, generally after 2 weeks of treatment the symptoms start to gradually improve, and then continue to use moisturizing skin care products for 4-8 weeks to make the symptoms continue to subside. Seborrheic dermatitis: Facial seborrheic dermatitis is characterized by impaired skin barrier function at the lesions, resulting in dry, flaky skin and other symptoms, and is prone to recurring episodes. Mild patients are effective with moisturizing skin care products alone; for recalcitrant patients, short-term topical medications are used on top of moisturizing skin care. For seborrheic dermatitis with significant oiliness in the nasolabial folds or nasal bridge can be combined with the use of oil control skin care products. Chronic actinic dermatitis: Chronic actinic dermatitis is a chronic dermatitis that occurs in exposed areas of the middle-aged and elderly, such as the face and neck, back of the hands, and is characterized by aggravation after sun exposure. This dermatitis is often accompanied by dry, flaky symptoms and requires topical moisturizing skin care products along with oral and topical medications. Rosacea: Rosacea is a chronic dermatitis that occurs mainly in the central part of the face such as the cheeks, forehead, perioral area or nose, mainly manifested as paroxysmal flushing in the central part of the face, and the flushing is aggravated by sun exposure, emotional excitement or elevated temperature, and can appear facial vascular hyperplasia and red papules and pustules, and a few patients can have redness or hypertrophy of the nose (so this disease can also be called “rosacea”). In addition to oral medication it is very important to moisturize the skin. However, patients who develop it on the nose often show oily skin and it is advisable to use oil-control skin care products. Dry pruritus: The disease occurs mostly in autumn and winter, especially in middle-aged and elderly people who have decreased sebaceous gland function and are more prone to clinical symptoms of dryness or pruritus. Moisturizing skin care products alone can usually significantly reduce symptoms, but long-term use is required, along with oral antihistamines if necessary, and do not overclean the skin. Congenital ichthyosis: Mild ichthyosis can be relieved by using moisturizing skin care products alone, while heavier patients can use topical petroleum jelly ointment or boric acid ointment with sealing effect during daytime, and then use cream-based moisturizing skin care products with better comfort at night. Exfoliative keratolytic disease: This is a chronic recurrent skin disease that occurs on the palms and soles of the feet, manifesting itself as dry, flaky skin with no obvious itching symptoms, but the cause of the disease is unclear. Long-term topical moisturizing skin care products are the main treatment for the disease, and for more severe cases, short-term topical hormone creams can be used.