Chronic and even acute irritation and inflammation can destroy the skin’s integrity by
breaking down the skin’s protective barrier, and that, over time, damages the skin’s collagen
and elastin components. Inside the skin, inflammation impairs the skin’s immune and
healing responses. Additionally, breaking down the skin’s protective barrier can allow the
introduction of bacteria, thus raising the risk of more breakouts. Any way you look at it,
irritating the skin in any manner is almost always not a good idea, and especially not when
it happens every day with sun exposure or the skin-care products we use.