5 Fast Facts About Sensitive Skin

In both my researching about skincare and experimentation with different skincare products, I have uncovered many common myths and, likewise, some unexpected facts about both the diagnosing of and dealing with having sensitive skin. As someone with sensitive skin myself, this is a topic I am always happy to gain more knowledge on. Here are five key things I have discovered

Skin does not usually become sensitive, but it can become sensitized. In my estimation, if you have sensitive skin, you've probably known about it more or less all your life in some way or another. Constantly dealing with redness, itchiness, bumps, or just skin that seems to like only ONE specific product in a category and will tolerate nothing else is the story for most of us who have sensitive skin.

If, however, you notice that your skin is becoming much more inflamed all the sudden or is more broken out, or is maybe visibly flaking off more than you've ever seen before, you probably don't have truly, chronically sensitive skin. It is more likely you have sensitized skin, which can be caused by any number of things such as adjusting to new seasonal shifts, a change in your water, your diet, hormonal changes (as in with pregnancy, for example). and other transitions So it's likely that once your lifestyle returns to normal or your skin has time to adjust to the changes, your skin will also rejig and get back to its old self.

That being said, a few skincare practices can also lead to skin sensitization. Exfoliating too aggressively or introducing a particular product into your routine with an ingredient or two your skin doesn't like (or just trying out too many new products at once) can also leave your skin feeling more sensitive than it actually is, but with a little tender loving care, your skin's sensitization likely will diminish.

Sensitive Is Not Necessarily an Exclusive Skin Type: Though many brands expressly cater to or have lines of products specifically designed for "sensitive skin", sensitive skin can be of any type from the most oily to the most dry, although because of its general hyperreactivity, those who have sensitive skin can often seem to swing between skin types, depending on the responses it has to things, be it a deep breakout or a a bout of excessive flaking. This means that though you might have sensitive skin, you still may need to treat other skin concerns based on your skin type such as moisturizing deeply and often if it is dry or using targeted or more non-aggressive spot treatments to combat acne. Just remember that oftentimes with sensitive skin, it is best to address other issues related to your core skin type with slower-acting and gentle measures so as to not push the skin too far too fast. making it feel more stressed, uncomfortable, or reactive.

Sensitive Skin Occurs in Any Ethnicity: While it is true that those with fairer skin are thought of as being more likely to be more sensitive, sensitive skin occurs in any race and ethnicity. Deeper skins may show less redness as a sign of sensitivity and inflammation, but that does not mean that the skin is any less inflamed or reactive or prone to water loss or hyperpigmentation, all of which are common attributes to those with sensitive skin, or that the skin is any less reactive to products or its environment. It is always important to pay attention to not only how your skin looks on the outside but how it feels from the inside out. And if you often feeling heat within the skin or it bumpy underneath the surface or tight and pulled tight on the surface or all three, it may be that you have sensitive skin, even if it might not look like it on the surface.

There is a Connection Between Sensitive Skin and Allergies: The two of these may not always necessarily go hand in hand, but many times, those with significant seasonal or chronic environmental allergies or even food allergies or intolerances also have sensitive skin. No matter how the symptoms of these things show up for you, they are all related to both an increase in immune response and inflammation as the body tries to cope with what is in or is being introduced to its environment, So with this idea, if you have sensitive skin you may also want to look at things in your environment and/or within your food that might also be increasing your sensitivity throughout your whole body. On the flipside, it is totally not unheard of for your skin to feel even more sensitive during allergy season when pollen is flying through the air and landing on your face as much as in your nose!

All Sensitive Skin is NOT Created Equal: Sensitive skin is definitely not a "one size fits all" thing to cope with. Just like how anyone can be allergic to any food or ingredient, it is no different for sensitive-skinned people. Though we may just have a longer list of things we are sensitive to than others, our list of triggers will be very unique and individual when it comes to ingredients in products. For example, despite having sensitive skin, I greatly enjoy using skincare products with a variety of essential oils in them, yet I do not tolerate every essential oil well and I also usually don't fair the best with skincare that has heavy synthetic fragrances. Conversely I know of many sensitive-skinned people who would never use any synthetic fragrances or essential oils of any kind in their skincare at all. As always, skincare is a journey of trial and error, but for sensitive-skinned people this could not be truer. My skin has often responded poorly to products labeled specifically as "hypoallergenic"-- a label meaning that the product is free of many common allergens and sensitizing ingredients and one that IS a good thing to look for in shopping for products for sensitive skin but by no means is it an out- and out guarantee. Likewise, something that may seem totally ill-suited to sensitive skin based on looking at the ingredients alone may be just what your particular sensitive skin could be craving. Trying things out is the only way to know for sure. Just take care to always make sure to apply a new product first to the inside of your arm or along your jaw to look and feel for any signs of sensitivity before trying it out on your whole face or body.

Whether you have sensitive skin or no someone who does, I hope these facts clear up some of the mystery on the subject. Just always remember to treat your skin gently and with care, and it will thank you for it.