What Is Transepidermal Water Loss? How To Stop It
If you suffer from dehydrated or dry skin, one of the causes may be transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Translation? You lose water and moisture from your skin. TEWL can lead to a variety of dry skin conditions – including severe dehydration – but there are ways you can moisturize your skin or prevent dryness in the first place.
What is transepidermal water loss?
To understand TEWL, let's look again at the layers of our skin. Our skin is made up of three primary layers, the outermost being the epidermis (also known as what you are looking at in the mirror). The dermis is the middle layer and the hypodermis is the innermost layer. TEWL occurs when water from the dermis passes through the epidermis and evaporates through the skin barrier.
Dermatologist Anna Guanche told Allure: “The skin barrier consists of the epidermis and especially the hard, outermost layer of the stratum corneum. The epidermis is what we normally call the outer layer of the skin, but it is made up of five layers. The outermost layer of the epidermis is the stratum corneum. "
When the stratum corneum is compromised, moisture evaporates through the ineffective skin barrier, and you can expect very dry, dull, or dehydrated skin. Your skin is usually clever enough to regulate water loss and retain moisture, but sometimes certain factors damage the functioning of your skin barrier and make dryness worse. If you're wondering if TEWL has compromised your skin barrier, knowing what to look for helps. Symptoms of TEWL include flaking, itching, skin tension, and redness.
Which factors trigger transepidermal water loss?
TEWL can be triggered by:
- Skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, or rosacea
- Dry weather or excessive time with dry indoor air (e.g. from air conditioners and central heating)
- Excessive washing, exfoliating, and scrubbing with harsh soaps
- Allergies, diabetes, or kidney disease
- Skin aging with decreasing sebum production
- Sunburn or sores
- chlorine
How to stop transepidermal water loss
The most important part of preventing TEWL is ensuring a healthy skin barrier. You may be thinking, "What is a skin barrier and how should we protect it?"
A healthy, functioning skin barrier blocks environmental stimuli and keeps all the good things, like natural oils and moisture, inside. A compromised skin barrier does a poor job of maintaining the health of your skin conditions like dermatitis or dryness due to ineffective water retention that can lead to skin damage. To keep your skin's ecosystem healthy and prevent TEWL, take a look at the lifestyle and skin care tips below.
1. Use moisturizing products
Moisturizing is an important strategy for maintaining skin health and treating impaired skin barrier function. Eminence Organics Director of Product Development Colette Liebermann Says, "Preventing TEWL will keep the skin barrier healthy and hydrated. Richer creams bind moisture and thus prevent water loss while sleeping. "
Night creams, for example, are an essential part of skin care. At night, the skin is in recovery mode, which means that it is the ideal time to use ultra-rich creams with a higher concentration of active ingredients to increase moisture, restore the skin and improve the complexion. This is an especially important step for mature skin. Our Marine Peptide Collection is designed to reduce transepidermal water loss with rich anti-aging formulas that lock in moisture. Some products in this collection contain exopolysaccharide, an ingredient that helps limit TEWL and improve skin hydration.
TEWL can be further reduced through the use of skin care products that contain humectants, occlusive and emollient agents. These are important ingredients found in moisturizers. Humectants (like glycerin and hyaluronic acid) draw water from the environment into the skin. But that's not enough – you need something to prevent that moisture from evaporating. Because of this, you need occlusive agents like beeswax, which act as a lipid barrier for water retention. Emollients also minimize TEWL and are also used to make moisturizers more plump.
2. Use a humidifier on an impaired skin barrier
If you live in a dry climate or are prone to dry winter weather, try a humidifier in your home to see if your skin has time to heal. Studies have shown that humidifiers that produce "water particles in nano-size" "have a positive effect on skin moisture and skin barrier function".
3. Skin moisturizing techniques for bathing
If you already have dry, dehydrated skin, ScienceDirect recommends placing a damp washcloth or towel on the area while your hands or feet can be treated by soaking in a bowl. Soak in warm (not hot) water for about 10 minutes, then apply an occlusive moisturizer to lock in the moisture. When moisturizing the face or neck, ScienceDirect recommends placing a damp washcloth or towel on the area while your hands or feet (ex.
4. Avoid harsh detergents and excessive exfoliation
Excessive washing, excessive exfoliation, chemical skin care, and some acne treatments can all lead to a damaged skin barrier and trigger skin conditions. It's also always best to consult a dermatologist if you're not sure what exactly is triggering your symptoms. As a general rule, avoid over-cleaning or the use of foaming cleansers, which may strip your skin of oils. It is safer to opt for a gentle milk cleaner. Also choose your active ingredients wisely. Ingredients such as retinol and alpha hydroxy acids can worsen the effectiveness of TEWL.
Do you suffer from TEWL? Discover the Marine Peptide Collection, designed to reduce water loss and lock in moisture.