How To Treat Sensitive Skin For A More Comfortable Complexion
Have you always experienced sensitive skin? Or maybe you’re wondering why your skin is so sensitive all of a sudden?
As a skin expert, I’m not surprised to see that more and more people are finding that their skin is aggravated and irritated. We’re doing more to our skin than ever before, with easy access to powerful skincare which can be too much for some complexions. Add factors like stress, sunshine, and hormones into the equation on top of that, and skin can really flare.
What Is Sensitive Skin?
Sensitive skin can be categorised as skin that’s easily irritated. Having sensitive skin is a bit like walking a tightrope where one false move can cause a wobble or throw it off course. It’s not a skin type, like dry, oily, combination or normal, and it’s not a diagnosis. The symptoms of sensitive skin can also vary from occasional irritation to full-blown stinging that needs to be managed daily. For these reasons, there is some confusion around the topic. Often people believe they have sensitive skin, when in fact they just have sensitised skin (but more on that in a moment).
The key signs of sensitive skin are stinging, burning, redness, itchiness, rashes, tightness and a general feeling of discomfort. You may experience a couple of these symptoms or even all of them at once. Dry skin tends to be more prone to sensitivity than other skin types as the lack of oil can make it thinner, unable to hold on to hydration and less able to defend itself.
Do I Have Sensitive Skin? How To Tell The Difference Between Sensitive And Sensitised Skin
It isn’t always clear what causes sensitive skin. Some people are more prone to it than others and will find that this is a long-term concern that they need to consistently manage with skincare and lifestyle choices. You could experience sensitivity from birth, or it could be that your skin has changed over a period of time. For example, our skin becomes thinner as we age which means it can be more easily irritated. Medication or illness can also make skin more sensitive.
Sensitised skin is slightly different. This is skin that has been made to feel sensitive as a result of becoming inflamed and irritated. A common cause of sensitised skin is using the wrong skincare or going too strong with active ingredients. If you impair the skin’s barrier function, which is designed to keep moisture in and irritants out, then the skin will struggle to function as normal. This can result in a lack of tolerance to specific ingredients and periods of irritation. The good news is that sensitised skin is easier to resolve than sensitive skin. Strip back your routine and focus on restoring the barrier with ingredients like ceramides and omega fatty acids until the feelings of irritation have subsided. Those with sensitive skin can take the same approach, but may need to stick to the routine for longer.
What Causes Sensitive Skin?
There are myriad things that can aggravate sensitive skin. They include, but are not limited to:
Ageing: As we age, our skin’s stocks deplete. With less naturally occurring oils, hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin, the skin becomes thinner, weaker,, and more easily irritated. The simplest of things can cause the skin to tingle or become red.
Sun: The sun attacks the skin’s lipid peroxidation, which starts at the first layer of the skin’s defence, weakens the barrier, and leaves the skin feeling sensitive. Don’t be surprised if your skin feels delicate after the summer months and needs extra TLC.
Pollution: Things like car exhaust fumes can attack the skin causing the cell membranes and the skin barrier to become weaker, which leads to skin dehydration. Watch out for the signs of dehydration (like tightness and dullness) as this can cause stress and inflammation to other cells.
Skincare: Overusing certain skincare products can irritate the skin, and cleansers and exfoliants are the most common culprits. Active ingredients are great for the skin, but using too many, clashing ingredients that don’t play nicely together and opting for high percentages will cause irritation. Start slow and low.
Menopause: Skin becomes thinner and drier around the time of menopause, and is less able to cope with internal and external aggressors.
Pregnancy: Some people experience nine months of glow, but for others, pregnancy can be a challenging time for their skin. Be careful with your complexion as the surge in hormones will mean it’s more sensitive. Avoid anything too strong until after you have had your baby.
How To Treat Sensitive Skin
When the skin barrier is weakened by one of the factors listed above it becomes even easier for things like pollution and allergens to penetrate sensitive skin and irritate it. You may experience irritation or tingling when applying your skincare or touching your face, and this is because there is an inflammation of the nerve endings. These are some of the best ways to treat sensitive skin and restore balance.
Strip back your routine and keep things simple and minimal. Avoid skincare with fragrance when the skin is damaged, as well as active skincare and both physical and chemical exfoliation.
Remove all actives such as vitamin C, retinoids and chemical exfoliants (alpha and beta-hydroxy acids) from your regime. When the skin is ready, introduce poly-hydroxy acids first, as these are the gentlest form of liquid exfoliation.
Avoid the midday sun as UVB rays are at their strongest between 10 am and 4 pm. It’s best to use mineral sunscreen if your skin is sensitive, as some chemical filters can be irritating.
Use tepid water or cold water when you cleanse instead of hot and avoid steamy baths and showers. Don’t worry, products described as “hot cloth cleansers” are still just as effective with cool water.
Avoid muslin cloths as these can deliver mild exfoliation. What we are trying to do is rebuild and strengthen the skin, so we want to avoid removing dead skin cells which make up part of the barrier. If you like to use a cloth to remove your cleanser, choose a supersoft micro-fibre one instead.
Use a clean cloth for every cleanse and pat (don’t rub) your face dry with a soft towel. If your skin needs cooling, pop a damp face cloth in the fridge and use as a cooling compress on irritated skin.
Keep your makeup brushes clean. They can become a 5-star hotel for bacteria if they’re not cleaned regularly. As the skin barrier is compromised, the bacteria will be transferred straight into the skin and cause havoc.
Clean your phone too. Just like our makeup brushes, our mobiles are harbouring bacteria, which is especially problematic if the irritation is on your cheeks.
Throw out old, out-of-date products and makeup. All cosmetics have a shelf life, which is shown as a symbol of a pot with a number in it on the back of the packaging. The number indicates how many months the product will last for after it has been opened. Using products that have gone off is a recipe for irritation.
Choose fragrance-free products when the skin is extremely damaged. Both natural and synthetic fragrances can be some of the biggest skincare offenders.
Re-introduce products slowly when your skin is feeling better. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and the skin may still be struggling inside even if you can’t see it. I normally recommend being mindful for at least a month before the skin will start to behave like it used to.
Keep your skin hydrated both morning and evening by using serums, essences or moisturisers with ceramides in them to strengthen the skin barrier.
Don’t ignore tingles. This is the most important thing, as the skin is trying to tell you it’s sensitive. This can also be a sign of skin conditions like rosacea, so it’s always good to be in tune with your skin.
Thank You For Reading
I hope you enjoyed this blog, the most important thing to remember is don’t ignore any tingle as it could be the skin is trying to tell you it’s not happy.
Stay tuned for more blogs and follow me on social media for latest launches and more skin school.
Bye for now,
Fiona x
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