How To Deal With Sensitive Skin – Medical Review by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP — By Corinne O’Keefe Osborne — Updated August 8, 2019
Many things can cause skin sensitivity, from underlying medical conditions to environmental factors. If home treatment does not provide relief, consult a healthcare professional.
How To Deal With Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin is not a disease that a doctor can diagnose. It is usually a symptom of another disease. You may not even know you have sensitive skin until you have a reaction to a beauty product, such as soap, moisturizer, or makeup.
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Diseases that cause skin sensitivity are rarely serious. You can usually keep your symptoms under control with a few simple changes to your skin care routine.
Keep reading to learn more about what could be causing your sensitive skin, other symptoms to look out for, and foods that should be safe for you.
You can treat dry skin by restoring moisture to the affected areas. Applying a moisturizer or ointment two to three times a day will help restore moisture and prevent future skin dryness. Try using a fragrance-free moisturizer designed for people with sensitive skin.
Eczema (atopic dermatitis) affects your skin’s ability to protect you from irritants, such as germs in the air or chemicals in your detergent. This can make you more sensitive to products that don’t bother other people, such as soaps and cosmetics.
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Sometimes, over-the-counter anti-itch creams and moisturizers are enough to relieve symptoms. If your symptoms are severe, see your doctor.
Irritant contact dermatitis is a red, itchy rash that occurs when the protective layer of your skin is damaged by something it touches.
Contact dermatitis usually goes away on its own within a few weeks. The most important thing you can do is find out what caused the reaction so you can avoid it in the future.
You’ll want to control the itching while your skin heals. Combing the area will only increase its inflammation.
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Allergic contact dermatitis is a less common form of contact dermatitis. This happens when you have an allergic reaction to a certain substance.
Treatment with an over-the-counter antihistamine should relieve itching and inflammation. Try to identify the cause of your allergic reaction to avoid it in the future.
Oral antihistamines. An oral antihistamine is the best way to stop an allergic reaction because it helps control excess histamine in the blood. Try over-the-counter diphenhydramine (Benadryl) tablets.
Local antihistamines. Antihistamines are also available as creams, ointments, and sprays. They can help relieve itching and reduce inflammation caused by poison ivy or other contact allergens. Try Benadryl anti-itch cream.
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Gentle soaps and detergents. Some people have an allergic reaction to dish soap and washing powder. Fortunately, there are gentle, fragrance-free options. Check out Seventh Generation Free & Clear unscented dish soap and Tide Free & Gentle laundry detergent.
Clear nail polish. Applying a coat of clear nail polish to the inside of rings and bracelets can help prevent an allergic reaction to nickel.
Rosacea is a common skin condition that affects the face. Early signs include flushing or reddening of the face more easily than other people.
Contact urticaria is hives caused by direct contact with an irritant. The reaction from contact urticaria is immediate.
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If you have contact hives, the symptoms should go away on their own within 24 hours. Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms until the rash disappears.
This condition will likely go away on its own, but an oral antihistamine may help it go away more quickly.
Photodermatoses are an abnormal reaction of the skin to sunlight. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can activate your immune system, causing you to develop a rash, blisters, or scaly patches of skin.
Tell your doctor if you think you are too sensitive to sunlight. It can be caused by a medication you’re taking – even an over-the-counter drug or supplement.
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Cutaneous mastocytosis (CM) is a condition in which too many mast cells accumulate in the skin. Mast cells are part of your immune system, so when they feel threatened, they release chemicals that cause swelling.
Treatment for most cases of CM includes over-the-counter antihistamines and steroid creams. People with severe symptoms may receive a type of radiation therapy called PUVA therapy.
If you have CM spots, you’ll want to treat them, potentially cover them up, and prevent them from coming back:
Aquagenic pruritus does not cause any visible signs such as a rash or blisters. Instead, you will feel itchy immediately after touching the water. This can last from a few minutes to several hours.
Sensitive Skin: How To Deal With It
Aquagenic itching can be difficult to treat. If you think you have this condition, talk to your doctor. They will be your best resource of information and can advise you on next steps.
If you have sensitive skin, everything can seem irritating. But with some lifestyle changes, you can see significant improvement.
There are many different conditions that can cause skin sensitivity. Some require more serious and careful treatment than others. If you suspect that your skin condition is related to an allergic reaction, you should consider making an appointment with an allergist.
Although rare, allergic reactions can cause a life-threatening condition known as anaphylaxis. Get medical help right away if you start to feel:
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Most people with sensitive skin can treat their condition at home. This usually involves identifying the product or substance that irritates your skin and finding a way to avoid it.
If your symptoms do not improve, make an appointment with a dermatologist. Your dermatologist can help you start a gentle skincare regimen that will keep your skin looking and feeling good. The FindCare tool can provide options in your area if you don’t already have a dermatologist.
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If you spend time looking for solutions that can magically get rid of acne, it would be wise to take a step back and change your skin care routine. When acne is a serious skin problem, especially if you have sensitive skin, it can be mentally draining. Sensitive skin reacts extremely to products and ingredients that are not suitable for its skin type. Some products can cause irritation, inflammation or even rashes. Just by understanding the ingredients you consume; You can avoid all those products that contain chemicals that make acne worse.
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Acne-prone is a term often used in the skin care industry to describe skin that is more prone to breakouts and acne. Pimples occur when dirt and pollution deposited on our skin settles in the pores. Sebaceous glands on the surface of our skin secrete sebum. Excess sebum production and hair follicles clogged with oil, dirt and dead skin cells make your skin the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, leading to acne breakouts.
The development of acne mainly depends on your skin type. Oily skin is known to be more susceptible to acne breakouts. However, people with dry skin types can also develop acne due to a number of reasons, such as environmental factors, routine skin care, products that irritate the skin and clog pores. When the skin feels excessively dry, it naturally counteracts it by producing more sebum. Excess sebum and dead skin can lead to acne breakouts. It is also possible to be acne prone without having dry or oily skin.
Sensitive, acne-prone skin is skin that is more prone to inflammation and adverse reactions and reacts strongly to chemicals, dyes, and fragrances present in skin contact products. It can be genetic or due to certain lifestyle or environmental factors. The skin experiences redness, dryness, sunburn and is therefore vulnerable to flare-ups as a backlash.
Acne treatment can start with simply getting rid of all those products that contain ingredients that can irritate the skin. Stress, hormones, environment and diet are the main factors that contribute to the development of acne. However, an unpopular but big factor can be some comedogenic ingredients used in skin care products that can clog pores and cause acne. Therefore, it is better to keep in mind and avoid the following ingredients:
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Early treatment can prevent a few acne from turning into widespread acne, whiteheads, and deep painful acne. Treating acne can keep it under control and prevent future acne breakouts. If left untreated, scarring and permanent blemishes may occur. Check out our article on 13 ingredients tested for even stubborn acne scars.
1. Cleansing: Clean twice a day to avoid dirt build-up. However, over-cleansing can dry out the skin. Choose a cleanser specially formulated for blemish-prone skin. Paul Penders Alpina & Tea Tree Cleansing Wash is a gentle face wash with antibacterial action of Alpina extract and powerful tea tree