Do you have sensitive skin? Or is it sensitised?

Do you have sensitive skin? Or is it sensitised? – Do you know the difference?  Well, the symptoms are actually the same.  Redness, dehydration, itching and burning.

So what is the difference?

Sensitised Skin – sensitive skin caused by your environment

Sensitised skin can be triggered in anyone.  It’s actually a reflection of your environment.  Frequent irritability from lifestyle, irritants, cosmetic ingredients.  These can be anything such as alcohol, lanolin, fragrance and artificial colour.

Hard to avoid, I know.  When these triggers can’t be avoided (think pollution, environment and temperature sensitivity), your symptoms of sensitised skin can be managed through skin care and lifestyle changes.

Your skin can be affected by any of the following factors:

lifestyle – stress, diet, smoking, dehydration, alcohol, and cosmetic ingredients

environment – pollution, airborne allergens, weather, and temperature changes

physiology – physical effects of stress or hormonal fluctuations

disease – rosacea, eczema, psoriasis

Sensitive skin is what you are born with

Sensitive skin is a weak protective function of the skin that can be genetically predisposed.

When skin is sensitive its protective outer layer lets irritants, microbes and allergens pass through.  This can cause adverse reactions like stinging, pain, redness or flushing.

Genetically sensitive skin is considered more delicate because it has a lower amount of pigment.  It has a thin epidermis, and blood vessels close to the skin surface, hence the appearance of redness.

What are the signs?

• Thin skin texture with a translucent appearance.
• A feeling of tightness, which can indicate dehydration and lead to skin reactions from products.
• Redness or blotchiness. This signals over-reactive capillaries or a tendency toward rosacea.
• Flaking, peeling or cracking on the cheeks and forehead. This indicates dehydrated skin and impaired barrier function.
• Flushing and itching, or burning sensations, which can also be a sign of over-reactive capillaries.
• Small, rash-like bumps or breakouts (not to be confused with acne breakouts).

Another common trait of sensitive and sensitised skin is a compromised lipid barrier.

A healthy lipid barrier helps keep skin healthy by holding water in and keeping environmental pollutants and microbes out.  Picture your skin cells as tiny bricks. The “mortar” holding them together are lipids.

When your skin is exposed to triggers that compromise the barrier, the result is redness, dryness, irritation and discomfort.  Of course known as sensitive skin.

You can struggle on the daily with irritated skin based on your genetics, sensitive skin or you can get sensitive skin flare ups caused by outside factors in your environment, sensitised skin.

Knowing more about what causes your skin to react will help you determine if it is sensitive or sensitised so you can find out how to keep your skin strong and healthy.

How to calm sensitive and sensitised skin

The heat can also lead to skin sensitivities like a heat rash, which happens when your sweat ducts get closed off.  The moisture gets trapped under the skin and can lead to a rash made up of blisters or bumps!

The good news is that the skin , when healthy,  knows what is good and what’s bad on its own.  You can’t always avoid harsh environmental factors.  We sometimes have to use products to help. Here’s a couple we recommend:

Plump me up Gel moisturiser – Weightless water, gel moisturiser penetrates skin to lock in moisture.

Whipped cream – Lightweight moisturiser with sunscreen