Sensitive Skin

No other skin condition is more misunderstood then a sensitive skin. In fact, almost 90% of the population report having sensitive skin at one time or another. To understand whether you have sensitive skin, you first need to understand what causes it. Sensitive skin is a genetically inherited condition that predominantly affects very fair skinned individuals, usually of Northern Europe ancestry. Someone with truly sensitive skin is highly prone to blushing, has a very fine complexion and may experience bad hayfever, allergies or asthma. What most people suffer from is in fact a sensitised skin. Rather than a result of genetics, sensitised skin is a reflection of your environment, lifestyle and physiology. Pollution, stress, hormonal imbalance, cosmetic allergies, alcohol, poor diet and over exfoliation can trigger the sensitized skin condition. As the outside temperature changes, increasing numbers of us are using air conditioning or central heat systems. These systems then lead to dryness, redness irritation and itching of the skin due to the break down of the barrier function. This is when the cells and lipids that prevent moisture loss are damaged. When the barrier function is impaired it produces gaps in the skins protective layers. This can lead to irritants entering the top layer of the skin, producing a reaction on the skin as the histamine is released.

The good news is that sensitised skin can be treated. The bad news is that, left untreated the skin’s response can actually result in permanent cellular damage, which can lead to premature aging. A few lifestyle modifications can usually solve most people’s skin sensitisation.

Maintaining the skin’s barrier function by keeping the skin hydrated and protected at all times is vital. Do not use any harsh product on the skin like soap and water or alcohol based product as these strip the skin of the natural barrier it need to protect itself. Use a good moisturiser which has been recommended for your skin type. This not only puts a layer over the skin to protect from the element, but also keeping the bodies natural moisture in the skin cells to stops irritation. Rosacea is a skin condition as misunderstood as sensitive skin. In its early stages, Rosacea exhibits the same symptoms as skin sensitisation (redness, blushing and tightness) as well as the same trigger factors. However, the similarity ends there. A disorder of the facial blood vessels, Rosacea is a progressive inflammatory disorder that, when left untreated, develops additional complications that include burst capillaries, facial swelling and spots on the face that look like acne breakouts, causing people to confuse Rosacea with acne.

One in twenty people (mostly women) are affected by this misunderstood condition. Fortunately, Rosacea is a manageable condition. Avoiding trigger factors is critical, as a Rosacea attack begins the same way a skin sensitisation does. Try and use a recommended skin care regimen for the problem. There are also an increasing number of prescription medication that can be recommended by your GP. With all sensitive or sensitised skin conditions, the best thing to do is protect it. Sun protection is vital to all skin, but this skin condition need the extra protection as it is so susceptible to reaction. Not only is there the damage from UVA and UVB but there is the possibility of heat rash. This can be caused from not using a suitable sun cream which can produce an oily film over the surface of the skin, no letting the perspiration be removed from the skin. Try to find a sun cream that has the protection but lets the skin breath.

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