10 Facts About Sensitive Skin

Do you consider your skin to be sensitive or is this term just being overused in order to promote and influx of products designed to help this type of skin? Sensitive skin is a broad term ranging from easily irritated skin to conditions like eczema and . The following facts will provide valuable information to help you determine if your skin is indeed sensitive. And if this is the case, professional skin treatments can and should be given to alleviate the symptoms of sensitive skin, and home care products should be geared toward sensitive skin following a simple daily regimen. .

1. In addition to the erythema, edema, inflammation, and dryness (characteristics of dermatitis), sensitive skin also experiences a cascade of free radical activity that causes skin destructive enzymes to form. These enzymes attack the skin's integrity, leading to premature aging in the form of wrinkles and loss of elasticity.
2. There are many factors that can exacerbate sensitive skin. Microbes, chemicals, sun exposure, smoking, dyes, perfumes, airborne debris, and certain skin care ingredients can all make sensitive skin react.
3. Free radicals are capable of attacking the healthy cells of the body. Cell damage caused by free radicals appears to be a major contributor to aging, diseased, and stressed skin. Since free radicals contain an unpaired electron, they are unstable and reach out and capture electrons from other substances in order to neutralize themselves. This stabilizes the free radical but generates another in the process. A chain reaction soon begins and thousands of free radical reactions can occur within a few seconds on the primary reaction.
4. In colder months, extreme temperatures and drastic temperature changes (cold outdoors to warm indoors) can also cause the capillaries to dilate. This can enhance the appearance of sensitive skin.
5. As heat can make the symptoms of sensitive skin more apparent, steer clear of using steam in professional facial treatments. Instead, your esthetician should opt for a cool steam or no steam at all in professional facials.
6. Sensitive skin can often look dry, flaky, and uneven, so regular exfoliation is important. However, sensitive skin can become aggravated by granular exfoliation, which can create microscopic tears on the skin, making it more susceptible to irritation and inflammation. This means no scrubs, no brushing and absolutely no microdermabrasion. Instead, practice gentle exfoliation methods, such as a hydrating mask with lactic acid or a gentle enzymatic peel which digests dead skin cells on the surface.
7. Massages can have a wealth of benefits for the skin, however skin care professionals must be careful when it comes to sensitive skin. They may notice that the sensitive skin clients can become red and irritated just from touch, so they should make sure not to over manipulate the skin. For sensitive skin types, lymphatic drainage massage is most beneficial.
8. It is important to go after bacteria and microbes that can irritate compromised skin. One natural antibacterial ingredient is eucalyptus oil.
9. Aside from identifying and avoiding stimuli that provoke a sensitized skin response, remember that your esthetician can treat this skin condition with topical application of calming ingredients such as seaweed, olive oil, olive leaf extracts, green tea and allantoin in treatments geared for sensitive skin.
10. Free radicals and environmental factors can trigger sensitive skin flare ups, making it important to treat sensitive skin with antioxidants and provide natural protection against environmental aggressors. To protect skin from the sun, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are two types of natural sunscreens that act as ultraviolet filters and block ultraviolet rays.