If you often wake up in the morning with skin that feels dry or tight, you may be experiencing excessive transepidermal water loss (TEWL) overnight.
What is transepidermal water loss? This term refers to a simple physiological phenomenon: when water passively evaporates through the skin and into the air. This process is completely normal and inevitable. In fact, transepidermal water loss is happening to everyone throughout the entire day, although the process accelerates dramatically at night.
The average person loses about 300-400ml of water through their skin each day, so how do you keep your skin hydrated to compensate for all that natural water loss? Read on to learn how to protect your skin from transepidermal water loss by strengthening the skin’s natural protective barrier.
How Does Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) Impact the Skin?
Some transepidermal water loss is inevitable due to the nature of the skin itself, but there are several factors that can exacerbate the process and lead to dry, dehydrated skin. These factors include being in low-humidity climates and employing aggressive skincare practices, such as over cleansing or using too many harsh ingredients.
Transepidermal water loss is a constant process that happens to everyone throughout the day. However, by far the most water loss occurs while we sleep. This is due to the way it is intricately linked to the body’s circadian rhythm. The night-time stage of this natural cycle causes our body temperature to go down, our skin temperature to rise and our skin pH to become more acidic – all of which combines to promote transepidermal water loss.
Additionally, many people sleep in very low-humidity environments due to heating or air conditioning, which can make the air dry. Dry air can suck moisture away from the skin’s surface, resulting in that common dry skin feeling when you wake up.
How to Prevent Transepidermal Water Loss
When there is excessive TEWL, skin can get dry to very dry and dehydrated. Fortunately, protecting skin from transepidermal water loss is as simple as following a few easy steps. Firstly, it is all about moisturising the skin then sealing in the moisture, whether that be directly on the skin or in your environment. Here are the best ways to seal in and maximise the skin’s hydration each day:
1. Use a gentle cleanser
Over cleansing (cleansing too often) and using a cleanser formulated with strong ingredients are two factors that can cause the skin barrier to weaken over time, hindering it’s ability to lock in moisture effectively. As a result, swapping out your current product for a more gentle cleanser, like our Hydro Facial Cleanser, will help to keep the skin barrier operating optimally, and prevent the symptoms of TEWL.
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