It wasn’t until recently that I realized I have sensitive skin. Or maybe I should say accepted, not realized. To explain, I always had some amount of redness on my face. Even when I was younger (around ten years old), I remember my dad always saying how I have such rosy cheeks. And I always put it to my active lifestyle (running around and playing with my friends).
Then I got acne, and the redness was still there. And I attributed the redness to acne. To be fair, it wasn’t that bad.
And then I got a job that brought a very poor lifestyle with it (too many cups of coffee a day and no proper diet). My redness was still there, but I decided to ignore it. After that, my acne got much worse, and I started using very harsh products to help get rid of my acne. And it wasn’t until after months of using those products that my redness got super bad.
And just then, I thought – maybe my redness isn’t something everyone else has. Maybe it’s a sign of my skin screaming for help – a sign of very sensitive skin.
Signs of sensitive skin
- easily flushed skin (redness)
- broken capillaries
- breakouts
- itchy skin
- reactive skin
- dry skin
- peeling/flaking skin
- burning feeling
- prone to rashes
Flushed skin (redness)
Redness is probably the number one sign of sensitive skin. It can be triggered by anything from weather conditions to the products you put on your skin. It usually goes away once we remove the trigger.
Broken capillaries
Broken or dilated capillaries are another common sign of sensitivity, and they also contribute to redness. People with sensitive skin usually have thinner skin and less protective layers. That allows for capillaries to be more visible and dilate. Most often, you can see broken capillaries around the nose area.
Breakouts
Because sensitive skin is usually dry, sensitive skin can often produce more oil to fight the dryness. And this can lead to clogged pores and breakouts in the form of acne. You can reduce breakouts by washing your face twice a day with a gentle face wash and exfoliating once a week with an enzyme or chemical exfoliant (no physical exfoliants!).
Itchy skin
That is mainly due to the dryness of the sensitive skin. And it can get worse by washing your face in hot water. So don’t do that. Use lukewarm water instead. It will also help with redness and broken capillaries.
Reactive skin
Sensitive skin can react in many ways to many products. Anything from detergents you use on your bedding and clothes to cream you put on your face and to fragrances and household cleaning products can cause redness, itchiness or dryness. Weather can also cause your skin to react. Cold winds, sun exposure or temperature difference (coming from the cold into the warm room) can cause numerous reactions in your skin.
Dry skin
I mentioned it a few times already. It can go hand-in-hand with sensitive skin and itchiness. Make sure you are moisturising with emollient-rich creams.
Peeling/flaking skin
Again, this one connects to dry skin. The only way to prevent this is to use good face creams that nourish your dry skin.
Burning feeling
A burning sensation usually appears after putting a skincare product on your skin. And it can be accompanied by redness. Ensure you use products suitable for sensitive skin without ‘bad’ alcohol and fragrances. If you are unsure which alcohols are considered bad – check them out here. Also, always do a patch test behind your ear before you put on any new product.
Prone to rashes
Rashes can often appear after using an unsuitable product. So, again, do a patch test. That is the only way to prevent a rash or any other unwanted reaction. You can easily recognize a rash by flaky, red, dry or bumpy skin that appeared after using a new product.
Sensitized vs sensitive skin
I think everyone experiences a bit of irritation on their skin at least once in their lifetime. That can be due to environmental factors, lifestyle changes, products you put on your skin or even pollution. The signs of irritation are usually some of the following: burning of the skin, redness, itchiness, dry, flaky patches, and peeling.
The problem arises when people assume they have sensitive skin because of the irritation they might’ve gotten due to any of those reasons. And they treat it as sensitive skin for the rest of their lives. That probably isn’t the worst thing because it means they treat it gently. But it also means they treat their skin improperly.
And the reason people assume wrong is that both sensitized and sensitive skin have almost identical symptoms. So, what’s the difference – I hear you ask.
The difference is that sensitive skin is a type of skin, and sensitized skin is a skin condition.
And what’s the difference between type and condition – I hear you ask again.
I briefly touched on the topic of condition vs type in my post about the difference between dry and dehydrated skin. And also here. And I will write about it in future.
But to shortly answer your question, skin type is something we are born with, and we can’t change it. We can manage and take care of it to bring it as close to normal skin type as possible, but it will always be there. And skin condition is something we do to ourselves, and we can fix it by adjusting our skincare routine.
For example, we can cause sensitized skin by using harsh products on our normal skin. Or using products dedicated to oily skin on dry skin. And situations like that.
One of my examples where I caused myself an unwanted skin condition is when I was using very harsh and drying anti-acne products on my sensitive skin. And it became even more sensitive but also very dehydrated. I hope that makes sense to you.
Sensitive skin
As I mentioned above, sensitive skin is something that we are born with. It’s genetic, and we can’t fix it. But it can be managed and helped. Kate Somerville says that people with sensitive skin often have other non-skin-related sensitivities like asthma or allergies. Also, they often have rosacea, dermatitis, eczema or psoriasis.
Another thing worth mentioning is that people with sensitive skin usually have less melanin in their skin and a thinner epidermis. That means that they have a weaker skin barrier. And are less capable of protecting their skin. That is why it’s essential to know your skin type and treat it accordingly.
Here is what sensitive skin looks like for me. It’s slightly red all over, and there are no other sensations. The redness is even throughout the whole face, and there are no blotches.
Sensitized skin
As much as sensitized skin is similar in symptoms to sensitive one, they are actually quite opposite. We aren’t born with it, we can fix it, and we don’t have it forever. But we can have it for a while (months or even years) if we aren’t aware of it or don’t know how to take care of it.
Many factors can cause sensitized skin – poor diet, incorrect skincare products or routines, pollution, medication, and too much sun exposure. And using an ingredient we don’t know we are sensitive to.
It’s important to know that we can develop sensitivity to an ingredient anytime. Even if we’ve been using that ingredient or a product for years, don’t let that fool you. If you notice any unusual feelings like tingling, burning, or redness after using a product you’ve been using for a while, remove it from your routine until the symptoms are gone. And then re-introduce it. If the symptoms appear again, it means you developed sensitivity to that product or an ingredient in it. And you should stop using it.
Here is what my skin looks like when it’s sensitized. It’s much redder, and I feel the heat radiating from my skin. It’s hot to the touch and uneven but has blotches of redness across the face.
Skin’s Barrier (Acid Mantle)
If there is one thing I learnt in my beauty therapy college, it is about the acid mantle. We had to repeat this definition over and over again.
So acid mantle is a protective shield that helps to control bacteria levels and prevent infections and disease. It also acts as a natural moisturiser. The acid mantle is formed when sweat and sebum combine on the surface of the skin. And the pH of the skin is 4.5-5.6, which is slightly acidic and helps protect from bacterial overgrowth.
Essentially, the acid mantle is the barrier of our skin. And we need to protect it and keep it at slightly acidic levels. If you ever had a tight feeling on your skin after cleansing, that means that the acid mantle has been stripped.
But don’t worry. Our skin can fix itself. It balances out the pH level in about 30 minutes. But, if you overuse exfoliators, acid peels, and harsh cleansers, but also overexpose your skin to the sun, the acid mantle can take weeks to repair.
So to keep your skin’s barrier protected, use a good pH-balanced product, and be gentle with your skin. There is nothing wrong with exfoliating once or twice a week. Just don’t overdo it.
I’m writing about acid mantle because it is closely connected to sensitive/sensitized skin. The signs that your acid mantle is damaged are similar to those of sensitized skin. They include:
- redness
- peeling of the skin
- rashes
- flakiness
- dryness/dehydration
- more prone to breakouts
- premature ageing
Conclusion
I hope this post has helped you determine if you have sensitive or sensitized skin.
Even though they can be tricky to manage, once you have all the information, it can be easier to take care of it. Remember, just be gentle with yourself and your skin. And your skin will reward you for it. I know mine did.
Do you have sensitive or sensitized skin? What is your favourite product to help with it?
