SENSITIVE SKIN

Sensitive & Intolerant Skin

In industrialized countries, nearly 55% of women and 30% of men encounter problems of skin discomfort and claim to have sensitive skin*.
These signs range from sensations of tightness, stinging, itching or burning to erythemas (localized or widespread redness), irritation or dryness.
50 to 60% of women 25 and older have sensitive skin that is characterized by redness.**
Among sensitive skin types, some are even finer-textured and more delicate than others.
Whether fair or dark, these skin types present great transparency and fineness of texture.
They are especially reactive, prone to redness due to problems of blood circulation accompanied by discomfort (sensations of "heat", tightness)


 
Sensitive & Intolerant Skin:   
Signs:  Your skin is fine-textured and shows signs of dryness. "My skin feels uncomfortable. It lacks suppleness.
""I have extremely delicate skin that is very irritation-prone."
What you observe:  You have temporary localized redness or red patches. Your skin has been made vulnerable by some external factor: mechanical (razor burn), environmental (cold, wind, pollution, UV) or surgical (laser, peeling, etc.).
"My skin feels very vulnerable, as if stripped". "I can't use water to cleanse my face. It's too harsh and my skin reacts immediately."
 Temporary flushing :
"My skin reacts to the slightest emotion, extreme weather and spicy food."
"My skin feels like it's burning. It stings and feels tight".
Inside your skin:  Your skin has a low tolerance. You may have normal type skin but it is temporarily vulnerable.
Talk to your dermatologist about it.
Certain external factors cause naturally vulnerable blood vessels to dilate. This causes inflammation: surface redness, a "hot" feeling and discomfort. After each incident of this kind, facial skin returns to normal.

Why YOU?  The mechanisms governing sensitive skin are still not completely clear. It is thought that the skin's threshold of tolerance is lowered and that the stratum corneum becomes abnormally permeable.
Sensitive skin has trouble defending itself from external assaults that are usually well tolerated, e.g. exposure to harsh weather conditions, unsuitable cosmetics, pollution, hormonal changes, sudden changes in diet, depilatory or peeling operations and acne treatments.

Each new assault further weakens the barrier function of the skin.
Substantial weather variations and extreme temperatures are the main reason for the appearance of redness.
It can also be caused by diet – spicy food, stimulants and alcohol – and by serving food that is too hot, which promotes vascular dilation.
Other factors include stress, one's emotional state, physical effort, pollution, the menstrual cycle and the use of excessively harsh make-up removers, skincare products or fragrances.

A good daily skincare routine:

Remove make-up and cleanse without harshness:  For one reason or another, your skin is sensitive and needs special care. One way to promote the comfort of your skin is to respect it.

Those with sensitive skin should follow the golden rule: use mild, neutral products that contain no allergenic ingredients (e.g. preservatives, fragrances, coloring agents, bactericidal agents or surfactants).
Since your gestures affect your skin, you must avoid friction. Instead of rubbing a product into your skin, use light, sweeping motions.
Soothe:  A great product is the La Roche-Posay thermal spring water.  This hydrotherapeutic mist relieves sensitive, irritated skin. Its components are noted for their soothing, anti-free radical and decongestive properties.
If your skin is prone to sensations of "heat", this mist will instantly give it an impression of freshness and well-being.
Spray on. Leave for 2 minutes, then gently pat your skin dry with a towel.
Protect your skin every day:  The best way to protect sensitive skin is to moisturize it. Choose products appropriate to your skin type that are non-comedogenic and will also relieve sensations of discomfort.
Even your complexion and conceal minor imperfections:  Make-up is not contraindicated for sensitive skin, far from it! Here, it can be an excellent way to conceal imperfections. Simply choose non-comedogenic products that have been tested on subjects with intolerant skin.
Neutralize redness: Choose a product whose active ingredients help prevent the vicious circle that causes redness to appear, while leaving the skin comfortable and glowing.

Vitamin B3 stimulates the natural defenses. Vitamin CG, special for sensitive skin, activates collagen synthesis and strengthens the walls of fragile blood vessels.
Protect yourself from the sun:  Use sun protection with a high SPF.

La Roche-Posay Dermatologists answer your questions:

What is the difference between sensitive skin and skin prone to allergic reactions?
Sensitive skin can react upon contact with many different elements such as water when washing, cosmetics, or when exposed to the cold or the sun.

If your skin is prone to allergic reactions, it reacts violently and systematically to a specific substance (called an allergen). Allergens vary according to every person, and can include materials such as nickel in costume jewelry, lanoline and some preservatives used in cosmetics.
Does dry skin have a predisposition to become sensitive?
Contrary to popular belief, dry skin is not more prone to becoming sensitive than any other type of skin. Indeed, of those women who suffer from sensitive skin, 20% have normal type skin, 8% have oily skin, 30% have dry skin and 45% have combination skin.

Is skin intolerance a permanent condition?
Yes. Appropriate skincare products can provide comfort and instant relief. A few simple rules can help minimize the risks of reactions, such as avoiding exposure to the cold, sun, wind, repeated washing as well as cutting out certain foods and beverages, such as spicy food and alcohol, and of course tobacco.
But you cannot modify the nature of the skin.
Does diet affect sensitive skin?
Yes. People with sensitive skin must watch what they eat. Spicy food, stimulants and alcohol, or meals served too hot can increase blood vessel dilation and provoke histamine flushes, redness or a burning sensation.

Solutions:
If your skin is sensitive, intolerant or prone to allergic responses, it is best to take quick action to help prevent symptom development or aggravation as well as the appearance of any unsightly signs.

To soothe and rebalance sensitive skin, there are medical solutions to treat allergic or delicate, vulnerable skin as well as dermo-cosmetic care to moisturize and soothe..

Lifestyle and diet are also factors, especially in reinforcing the skin barrier.
What determines the choice of treatment is not age but the extent to which redness has developed and to which your reactive skin has been damaged.

If your skin has blemishes and persistent diffuse redness, if the blood vessels are visible, when your complexion looks uneven or congested, talk about it to your dermatologist, who can prescribe treatments to combat redness, reduce inflammation and minimize marks.

No comments :

Post a Comment