How does your skin react to new products? If you often experience visible redness, itching sensations, develop rough, dry patches or visible skin flakes, you may have sensitive skin.
Although often talked about as a skin type, sensitive skin is in fact a skin condition, and can apply to any skin type. So it’s possible to have an oily or combination skin type that’s also sensitive.
Let’s look in more detail at the symptoms, triggers, and causes of sensitive skin. And how to minimise adverse reactions to new products.
Sensitive skin symptoms
Sensitive skin is more likely to become inflamed, overly dry, or irritated. You can experience skin sensitivity anywhere on your body, but it’s more common on delicate areas like your face, armpits, or elbows.
Common symptoms include:
- itching, burning, or stinging sensations
- rough texture and wrinkled areas
- visible redness or swelling
- swelling
- flaky patches or peeling skin
What causes sensitive skin?
There can be both environmental and genetic factors that contribute to why you might experience sensitive skin. Stress, hormones, alcohol, and allergies are all common external factors that can also increase the likelihood of symptoms.
With sensitive skin, the common thread is that these factors are impacting your skin’s ability to perform its normal defensive role properly.
Healthy skin has a protective moisture barrier called the hydrolipidic film, which helps keep hydration in (and external ‘nasties’ like bacteria and environmental irritants out).
When this moisture barrier is disrupted or weakened, such as by dehydration, the skin is vulnerable. It recognises and responds to the perceived danger with an immune response that makes the skin more sensitive than usual.
Because of that, it’s quite common to experience heightened skin sensitivity during winter, when the colder, low humidity air outside and the dry heat of air conditioning inside can cause the skin to lose vital moisture and become dehydrated.
Treating and supporting sensitive skin
Try to take note of (and avoid!) any products that make your skin react. They may have ingredients in common that specifically trigger your skin.
Support your skin with these steps:
- Avoid perfumes, scented skincare products, or laundry detergents etc. that directly or indirectly make contact with your skin.
- Have warm rather than very hot showers; high temperature water can strip your skin of protective natural oils, making you more susceptible to irritation and dryness.
- Choose skin care products specially formulated (and labelled) for sensitive skin. Try a creamy, nourishing cleanser and follow with a rich, gentle moisturiser. And don’t forget your sunscreen every day – even these can be formulated for sensitive skin!
It’s also worth getting advice from your doctor or Pharmacist if you’re unsure.
If your skin is already reacting and in need of some serious soothing, La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+ 40mL is a fragrance-free, multi-repairing hydrating balm for dry, sensitive skinon adults, children, and babies from 3+ months.
Its rich texture is formulated withnourishing ingredients including a unique prebiotic complex called Tribioma that benefits skin pH levels and helps maintain the surface microbiome. Soothing Madecassoside combines with an intense hydrating formula to calm, soothe, and support skin recovery.
And the addition of vitamin B5 helps maintain a robust skin moisture barrier.
Cicaplast Baume B5+ is ideal for areas of extreme dryness, rough patches, skin prone to redness, and post-procedure skin (skin that has undergone minor aesthetic treatments such as IPL, laser, peels, or LED). Even on fresh tattoos!
How to use
Use Cicaplast Baume B5+ Balm Cream twice daily on clean, dry skin.
After cleansing, apply generously to your face, body, or any areas needing a little nourishment.
During the day, follow with a sensitive skin formula, broad-spectrum, high SPF sunscreen.
This is a sponsored article in partnership with La Roche-Posay. You can shop La Roche-Posay products here.