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.
Once you have developed sunburn, the damage has already been done and all you can do is let it heal. Religiously protect the burn from the sun to prevent it from getting any worse, as well as applying a soothing aftersun gel with antioxidants and make sure you stay hydrated. If your skin has blisters, use a skin healing cream from the pharmacy until the burn has fully healed.
To treat nappy rash, bathe your baby in lukewarm water using a very mild, soap-free formula such as CICAPLAST Lavant B5 or LIPIKAR Syndet AP+. Gently pat dry and apply an ultra-gentle protective cream such as CICAPLAST Baume B5 that repairs the skin barrier function. In addition to these measures, ensure nappies are changed regularly and that they are not too tight.
When you have a cold or the flu, your facial skin can become more sensitive due to repeated nose blowing. To soothe sore skin, mist the area with La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water and apply CICAPLAST Baume B5 on red and raw areas. You can leave it on as a mask overnight to help the skin recover. To reinforce your skin barrier use Toleriane Ultra on a daily basis.
The first step to help repair sun damaged skin is to prevent further damage with daily facial sunscreen with retinol molecule, which is known to speed up cell turnover at the skin’s surface for brighter skin, while replenishing collagen and elastin in-depth to repair wrinkles. REDERMIC R UV SPF 30 combines sun filters with retinol suitable for sensitive skin.
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.
