Why Is My Skin So Sensitive

What Causes Sensitive Skin Reactions

Causes of sensitive skin reactions include:

• Skin disorders or allergic skin reactions such as eczema, rosacea, or allergic contact dermatitis
• Overly dry or injured skin that can no longer protect nerve endings, leading to skin reactions
• Excessive exposure to skin-damaging environmental factors such as sun and wind or excessive heat or cold

Genetic factors, age, gender, and race differences in skin sensitivity are less well-defined but still may play a role in causing skin reactions.

How To Fix Skin Concerns

So how do we fix this? Its actually so easy! Scheduling an appointment with our licensed medical aestheticians to develop a customized treatment plan, which includes prioritizing an at-home skincare routine specifically for your skin type and needs. A retinol and hyaluronic acid incorporated into your routine can help dramatically. Keeping the dead skin under control as well as a hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate. Neocutis Nouvelle+ and Neocutis Hyalis+ are the perfect pair.

Also, scheduling a series of facials to help exfoliate that dead skin, extract the clogged pores and treat the acne, and moisturize! The Hydrafacial is great for all skin types! From that point on, to maintain your results from the facial and your new at-home skincare routine is getting a microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasions are great for keeping the thickened epidermis under control so that it doesnt cause any more problems like the ones I mentioned above. Why cant I just get a few microdermabrasions you might be wondering. Getting a microdermabrasion with active acne is not only painful, but it can spread the bacteria from the existing breakouts causing new ones. So making sure the acne is taken care of properly and making sure the bacteria is killed is crucial.

So in the end the clients sensitive skin will be no more. Because its not actually sensitive. It was dry, off-balanced, dehydrated and irritated.

If You Have Sensitive Skin Or A Diagnosed Skin Condition Use Caution Before Adding Any Strong Products To Your Routine

People with sensitive skin need to be careful and patient with products that contain strong active ingredients. You should research products that intrigue you but contain powerful ingredients, like chemical exfoliants such as glycolic acid and salicylic acid, vitamin C, or topical retinoids/retinol .

Generally, you should start using a new product gradually so your skin can build up a tolerance, says Dr. Nagler. Select a lower concentration, use a small amount, and only use it every two or three days at most. Apply a very simple, very gentle moisturizer underneath to create a buffer. This will reduce the irritating effects of strong active ingredients. Then, as your tolerance grows over time, you can start to gradually increase the frequency and apply the product directly, before your moisturizer.

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If Your Immune System Is Way Too Sensitive To A Specific Substance It Can Cause A Skin Allergy Over Time

A skin allergy can develop if your immune system is repeatedly exposed to a certain irritanteither a skin-care ingredient like a fragrance or dye, or a substance like rubber, formaldehyde, or nickeland becomes increasingly sensitive to it, according to the National Institutes of Health . Unless youre dealing with something really irritating like poison ivy, this kind of allergy might take multiple exposures over several years to develop, but once you have it, its permanent.

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Signs, including a red rash, extreme itchiness , dry, cracked, or scaly skin, oozing blisters, and tenderness, can develop up to 48 hours after exposure, so it might be hard to figure out whats throwing your skin for such a wildly irritating loop.

What Causes Sensitive Skin

Your skin might have been sensitive for as long as you can remember, or it may have just changed all of a sudden. Either way, its frustrating, and its important to nail down what causes extra sensitivity in your skin so you know what to avoid. Many times, sensitive skin isnt necessarily a diagnosed skin condition. Sensitive skin can be caused by a multitude of things:

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How Do I Identify My Skin Type

Its common to want to figure out your skin type so you can treat it accordingly. But everyone has a capacity to have normal, dry, oily, or sensitive skin at various times throughout the day. Your skin sensitivity and moisture can even vary on different parts of your face.

Dermatologists dont recommend trying to fit your skin type into one of those four categories. In fact, focusing on one skin category may swing the pendulum too far in the other direction and cause an opposite response. For example, using too many products for dry skin can lead to your skin being too oily. Its best to use products in moderation and avoid potential irritants.

What Causes Nerve Pain

Nerve pain can be due to problems in the central nervous system , or in the nerves that run from there to the muscles and organs. It is usually caused by disease or injury.

Common causes include:

• trapped nerves, such as in carpal tunnel syndrome

There are other conditions associated with nerve pain.

Sciatica is pressure on the nerves of the lower back that causes pain down the leg. The pain can be accompanied by pins and needles, numbness or weakness in the leg.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome associated with burning or aching pain in different parts of the body. The cause is not well understood, but it can be triggered by emotional distress and poor sleep. There may be genetic factors, too.

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when the peripheral nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body are damaged. Its caused by diabetes, autoimmune diseases and other conditions.

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Youre Avoiding A Retinoid

Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives, and its likely that youve heard these called a gold-standard skin-care ingredient. When applied to the skin, retinoids increase the turnover of skin cells and stimulate collagen production, revealing brighter skin underneath and reducing the appearance of wrinkles, according to research. Their downside: Theyre known for their side effects, namely redness and peeling, which often happens initially due to the increased turnover when skin hasnt become accustomed to treatment, says Dr. Gohara. Therefore, you might think that having sensitive skin disqualifies you from a retinoid. Not so.

The Solution Gohara recommends retinaldehyde, which is a precursor to a retinoid. Because skin enzymes need to first convert it into retinoic acid , it is not as strong and thus a more gentle wrinkle smoother, a study shows. Try Avène Retrinal 0.05 Cream . As long as you use a small pea-sized amount of it, work up gradually, and moisturize after, you can still use a vitamin A product on skin, she says.

Bukuchiol may be another option for you. A study published in February 2019 in the British Journal of Dermatology found that this ingredient performed similarly to a retinol but produced less flaking and stinging.

How Do You Know Youre Having A Reaction To Sunlight

occurs when the skin reacts in an abnormally sensitive way to light from the sun or an artificial source of ultraviolet radiation, like a tanning bed. Symptoms typically form on sun-exposed areas of skin, according to Donna Bilu Martin, MD, a dermatologist practicing at Premier Dermatology, MD in Aventura, Florida.

Photosensitivity generally presents as a rash, she says. It may look like a sunburn or eczema. Blistering may be present, and affected areas may be hot or painful.

Dr. Bilu Martin says there are plenty of things that can cause the condition. Reactions can occur in response to certain medications, chemicals, plants, autoimmune diseases or metabolic diseases, she says. Medications that are known to cause photosensitivity in some people include tetracyclines and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen. Lupus, dermatomyositis and porphyria are among the diseases that can increase your skins sensitivity to light.

There are two types of photosensitive reactions, according to Dr. Bilu Martin: phototoxic and photoallergic. A phototoxic response is the more common of the two, and usually crops up within 24 hours of sun exposure. This type of response occurs when a drug is activated by exposure to sunlight and causes damage to the skin. A phototoxic reaction will usually be limited to the skin that has been exposed to UV light.

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How Is Sensitive Skin Treated

If you have sensitive skin, the first steps to better managing it is to prevent triggering it through everyday sensitive skin care tips:

• Avoid taking very hot showers
• Choose sensitive skin body wash, face wash and moisturizer, as well as sunscreen formulated for sensitive skin
• Avoid scented beauty products and laundry detergents
• Apply moisturizer regularly to prevent dry skin

“Taking these steps is often all that’s needed to help ease and avoid irritant contact dermatitis and mild allergic contact dermatitis,” says Dr. Jih.

If you have moderate allergic contact dermatitis, over-the-counter medications such as anti-itch creams and antihistamines can help manage symptoms if they’re triggered.

“Chronic skin allergies or more severe eczema may require treatment with topical corticosteroids or other medications,” says Dr. Jih. “Your dermatologist can help you understand the best course of treatment for your specific form of sensitive skin.”

Skin Is Sensitive To The Touch Causes And Possible Treatments

Jenny Hills, Nutritionist and Medical Writer Health

Skin that is sensitive to the touch is a frustrating, and sometimes, unbearable condition which can cause people discomfort and pain. The medical name for skin pain or tenderness is allodynia and it causes the skin to become very sensitive to even the slightest of touches. So, even things like a breeze, brushing light material against the skin, or gently touching the skin can cause pain and sensitivity.

Sensitive skin which is sore to touch can be divided into 4 different categories:

• Tactile or mechanical allodynia is when the skin hurts when touched.
• Dynamic mechanical allodynia is pain caused by light brushing across the skin.
• Static mechanical allodynia is when light pressure causes sore skin.
• Thermal allodynia describes the pain when mild changes in temperature make the skin sore to touch.

Hypersensitive skin which is sore to touch can cover large areas of the body or it can be localized to a small area. It is quite easy to test if you have the symptoms of sore skin or skin that is sensitive to touch. For example, take a light piece of gauze and brush it over your skin, or try blowing on your skin. If you experience any kind of pain, itchiness, tenderness, or a tingling feeling, then you may have allodynia.

Usually, this kind of skin pain is not accompanied by a rash or any other visible symptoms.

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Are There Different Types Of Sensitivity

Just like there are varying degrees of severity for oiliness, dryness, and acne, there are also different levels of sensitive skin. “For example, there are some people where we can isolate one ingredient or environmental factor like sweat or hot water that bothers them,” says New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Morgan Rabach, M.D. “Then there are some people where most skin-care products and environmental factors bother their skin.”

According to Dr. Lewis, sensitive skin can generally be divided up into four main types: naturally sensitive, environmentally sensitive, reactive, and thin.

• Naturally sensitive skin: This one is genetic, according to Dr. Lewis, and it can be linked to inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis.
• Environmentally sensitive skin: As its name implies, this type of sensitivity is triggered by your environment. Sun exposure, cigarette smoke, air pollution anything your skin comes into contact with might send it into a stinging, irritating frenzy.
• Reactive skin: “This type of skin becomes red and inflamed by skin-care products, resulting in very red, warm, and irritated skin,” Dr. Lewis says. “Often patients will notice papules or pustules forming where the irritant was placed.”
• Thin skin: As we age, our skin naturally becomes thinner, and thinner skin is easier to irritate.

Current Thinking On Pathophysiology

The mechanism leading to the SSS has been debated in the literature, but the leading hypothesis relates to increased stratum corneum permeability. Fundamentally, SSS appears to be an orthergic phenomenon rather than an immunological response. There is a known inverse relationship between corneocyte size and stratum corneum thickness and the permeability of the skin, and changes in this mechanical barrier result in abnormal skin penetration by irritants. This phenomenon has been linked to hyperreactors. In addition, low levels of ceramides in the stratum corneum have been linked to increased severity of SLS-induced irritant contact dermatitis, pointing toward barrier compromise in sensitive skin. Seidenari linked self-reported hyperreactivity to decreased skin capacitance , objectively suggesting increased absorption of irritants by the sensitive-skin population. In the same study, increased erythema was objectively measured in hyperreacting subjects suggesting involvement of some baseline vascular component, and leading more recent investigators to propose the involvement of cutaneus sensory innervation in the pathogenesis of SSS.

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What To Do About Sensitive Skin

I believe that the essentials of any good skincare regime are a cleanser, moisturiser and a sunblock. Everything else is a bonus and sometimes those extra products can tip your skin over the edge.

Here’s some ways to help avoid sensitive skin:

Love love loveLove it!

Skin Sensitivity Actually Has To Do With The Fatty Outer Layer Of Your Skin

We all have a protective fatty outer layer on our skin. This is often called the lipid barrier, and it performs two main jobs: keeping water in, and keeping potentially damaging things, like UV rays, wind, heat, and harsh chemicals, out. In people with sensitive skin, this barrier is typically weaker, thinner, and more easily damaged, making it easier for irritants to penetrate the skin and cause inflammation.

You can think of your skin barrier like a brick wall put together with mortar between the skin cells, says Dr. Newsom. That intracellular lipid mortar is partly composed of a form of lipids called ceramides. In sensitive or damaged skin, that mortar is weak or missing in some spots, making the barrier more permeable and the skin underneath more vulnerable. People who have a thin lipid barrier absorb products more deeply, explains Dr. Fassett, which is why they are often more reactive to skin-care ingredients.

On the flip side, having a thin lipid barrier means its also easier for moisture to escape. This is why dryness and sensitivity often go hand-in-hand.

Even if you dont have sensitive skin, youre more likely to experience sensitivity in certain spots where that protective outer layer is thinner, like around your eyes, says Dr. Newsom.

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Can Sensitive Skin Ever Become Serious

“While rare, it’s possible for a person to experience a life-threatening allergic reaction to a chemical or product that irritates the skin,” warns Dr. Jih. “This is called anaphylaxis and requires emergency medical attention.”

Signs of a severe allergic reaction aren’t limited to what you see on your skin and include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of the tongue, throat or face
• Rash covering most or all of the body, especially if the rash is painful
• Blisters and signs of skin infection

If you think you’re having an allergic reaction and are experiencing symptoms of anaphylaxis, call 911 immediately.

Why Is My Skin So Sensitive All Of A Sudden

People from all walks of life encounter skin sensitivity problems at some point during their lives, and often it can come on quite suddenly after many years of having insensitive skin. When your skin starts to become more sensitive all of a sudden, it can be quite worrying, but in many cases there is usually an underlying cause that can be treated so that the side effects of having sensitive skin go away. Read on to find out why your skin might have become sensitive all of a sudden.

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