HEALTHY SKINThursday, 2 Mar 2023
SENSITIVE SKIN OR ALLERGY?

How to define sensitive skin
Sensitive skin is defined as skin that, unless suffering from certain skin diseases, is more predisposed to negatively react to chemical or physical agents. In addition, sensitive skin is more susceptible to allergies, redness, irritation, itching, and skin burning. (1) However, sensitive skin is not always synonymous with allergy: often the general symptoms of skin hypersensitivity are mistakenly judged to be warning signs of intolerance or allergies to certain cosmetic ingredients. In reality, common sensitive skin does not refer to any immunological cause. (1)
There are some aspects through which sensitive skin can be recognized:
Sensation of burning and stinging skin, which is accentuated with the application of certain cosmetic products
Skin with little elasticity
Marked tendency to skin peeling
Skin itching
Dry, arid, dehydrated, and cracked skin
Skin that feels tight
Furthermore, people who report skin hypersensitivity are statistically more prone to early formation of wrinkles and other aesthetic concerns associated with photo-aging. (1)
Sensitive skin is a very subjective phenomenon, making it difficult to establish precise and universal parameters to objectively ascertain the condition of skin hypersensitivity. (1) Nevertheless, we have compiled a list of generally useful precautions and advice for all those who have sensitive skin, whatever the degree of hypersensitivity:
Use products that are dermatologically tested on sensitive skin, namely on pre-selected volunteers who have sensitive skin;
- Look for products formulated with moisturizing and soothing functional substances such as ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, bisabolol, calendula extract, chamomile extract, etc.;
- Fragrance or no fragrance? It depends! Nowadays, most fragrances that are included in cosmetic formulas are hypoallergenic, namely they contain a very low concentration of allergens or are completely free of them.
- However, fragrance-free formulas can also contain cosmetic ingredients that may cause sensitivity reactions on certain skins.