1 in 2 people now have sensitive skin, making it a major modern day skin concern. We’ve all heard of sensitive skin, but what exactly is it?
First of all, sensitive skin is not a skin type. In fact, sensitivity can affect all skin types from oily and acne-prone teenage skin all the way through to dry and mature skin.
Secondly, sensitive skin shows no signs of skin diseases (like eczema or psoriasis) and usually looks normal… But it can feel anything but normal.
If you have sensitive skin, you need a moisturizer formulated for this skin type free of common “nasties” such as fragrance, colorant, lanolin and alcohol, and with soothing ingredients such as Neurosensine and La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water. Finally, it should also contain prebiotic ingredients to rebalance your skin’s microbiome, aka. its friendly bacteria.
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Shaving can stress skin by damaging its surface, causing “razor burn,” particularly on sensitive skin. To shave sensitive skin, first moisten skin with warm water, then massage in a pre-shave oil. Next, make sure your shaving foam is alcohol-free and shave with a single-blade wet razor, pressing very lightly. Follow up with a healing cream with vitamin B5.
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If you experience unpleasant sensations - pulling, prickling, burning or stinging - in response to factors such as temperature changes, wind, UV, hard water or harsh products, in the absence of a visible rash, you probably have sensitive skin. If you have redness or rashes, you are more likely to have reactive or allergic skin. Consider seeing a dermatologist for a definitive diagnosis.
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If your skin experiences discomfort when you simply touch it, you may have very sensitive skin. In sensitive skin, the nerve endings are hypersensitive, firing off pain signals in response to harmless stimuli. However, if your skin is sensitive due to being red and inflamed, you should see a doctor to make sure there is no infection or other medical issue to explain it.
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In dermatology, the term sensitive skin refers to a cluster of symptoms such as stinging, burning, itching and tingling which skin feels in response to trigger factors - temperature changes, hard water, unsuitable cosmetics and many more. In other words, the skin sets off alarm bells as though “in danger” in response to harmless stimuli.
So, what are the nuts and bolts of sensitive skin? For a long time, sensitive skin was something of a medical mystery, but advanced research has revealed some of the factors at play.
In the subsections below, we’ll help you determine whether you have sensitive skin and talk you through how to best keep your skin in its comfort zone with smart lifestyle tips and product recommendations.
You’ll also discover make-up specifically designed to help shield and soothe sensitive skin.
Don’t forget to look at our overview of sensitive scalp and hair, with information on key topics such as shaving sensitive skin plus how to care for sensitive scalps prone to conditions such as dandruff and hair loss.
Safety standards beyond international cosmetics regulations.
