Why sensitive skin

Photodermatoses is an abnormal skin reaction to sunlight. The ultraviolet UV rays in sunlight can trigger your immune system, causing you to develop a rash, blisters, or scaly patches of skin. Tell your healthcare provider if you think you might be overly sensitive to sunlight. 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 sense a threat, they release chemicals that cause swelling.

People with severe symptoms can undergo a type of radiation treatment called PUVA therapy. Aquagenic pruritus is a very rare condition in which any water that touches the skin causes itchiness. This can for last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Aquagenic pruritus can be difficult to treat.

If you think you have this condition, talk to your doctor. When you have sensitive skin, it can feel like everything is irritating. But with a few lifestyle changes, you may see significant improvement. There are a lot of different conditions that can cause skin sensitivity. Some require more serious and diligent treatment than others. If you suspect your skin condition involves an allergic response, you should consider making an appointment with an allergist.

Seek immediate medication attention if you begin experiencing:. Most people with sensitive skin can treat their condition at home. Your dermatologist can get you started on a gentle skin care routine that will keep your skin looking and feeling good. A dry, scaly scalp might be scalp eczema. Learn what symptoms to look for, causes, how to treat the condition, and how to prevent flare-ups. Topical steroid creams are one of the most commonly used eczema treatments.

We explain what they are, how to use them, possible side effects, and more. PUVA is a treatment for severe atopic dermatitis that hasn't responded well to other options. PUVA combines phototherapy and medications called…. The hallmark symptoms of eczema are itching and inflamed skin. However, other symptoms may include inflammation, hyperpigmentation, rash, or oozing.

Hydrocortisone is a common treatment for eczema. Available both over the counter and by prescription, it can reduce itching, redness, and swelling of…. Here are 15 tips for showering if you have eczema. Bathing is an important part of skin care. Learning how to bathe and keep moisture in your skin is…. New studies aimed to evaluate brain activation during provocative tests of cutaneous sensory reactivity through nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, both in individuals with normal skin and in those with sensitive skin, by verifying differences between the two groups.

These tests measure the signs of skin irritation after application of substances known as irritants such as sodium lauryl sulfate , by means of colorimetry or electrical capacitance measurement, for example. They are noninvasive and objective exams. However, they require specific devices. Epidermal function tests seek to measure structural or physiological changes in the skin after application of irritants.

The most used parameters are: measure of transepidermal water loss, cutaneous pH, epidermal thickness. Recently, some authors have reported the presence of structural alterations in the sensitive skin visualized through dermoscopy demonstrating capillary dilations and confocal microscopy showing epidermis with thinner than normal thickness. Mobile connected dermatoscope and confocal laser scanning microscope: a useful combination applied in facial simple sensitive skin.

Contact tests and contact phototests should always be considered in the investigation of the patient with sensitive skin, seeking to exclude allergic and photoallergic contact dermatitis. In addition to the standard and complementary batteries according to the medical history , it is essential to test the patient's own cosmetic products. Unlike patients with allergic contact dermatitis, most of those with sensitive skin respond negatively to contact tests. One way to accentuate local conditions by increasing the irritative component of product use would be the behind-the-knee protocol in which the substance to be tested is applied in the popliteal fossa of the individual, Thus, a mechanical friction component to the traditional test.

In addition, evidence for type I hypersensitivity, such as prick tests, can be performed when considering the diagnosis of contact urticaria. The treatment of sensitive skin comprises several steps. In cases where there is a predisposing dermatitis to the symptomatology, the control of the disease contributes to the improvement of the condition.

In the acute phase, some active ingredients may be used to relieve symptoms such as: low and medium potency topical corticosteroids to be used for a short period of three to four days and topical immunomodulators such as pimecrolimus or tacrolimus they can be indicated for a longer period. In addition, the use of all cosmetics should be discontinued for a period of two weeks. After this period, the products are reintroduced one at a time. Prior to the reintroduction of each patient's product, the open test should be performed for each patient.

Proper skin hydration helps to recover and maintain the skin protection barrier. Moisturizers with few components, without perfume and without substances that can irritate the skin like urea , are indicated. Photoprotectors should also be used in patients with sensitive skin, since, as already mentioned, ultraviolet radiation can trigger the symptomatology. Regarding the formulation of products for sensitive skin, the type of vehicle and its components must be taken into consideration.

In addition to the established tests to assess irritability and sensitivity of the products, it is necessary:. To eliminate allergens and common irritants from the formulation. When this is not possible, to reduce the concentration of these substances;. TRPV1 plays an important role in the symptoms of sensitive skin. Transtert-butylcyclohexanol was identified as a selective inhibitor of TRPV1, antagonizing its capsaicin-induced activation.

New strategies to develop novel pain therapies: addressing thermoreceptors from different points of view. Pharmaceuticals Basel. Inhibition of TRPV1 for the treatment of sensitive skin. The sensitive skin sindrome. Another drug described as a TRPV1 inhibitor is furocoumarin, with properties of decreasing pain related to this receptor.

Furanocoumarins are a novel class of modulators for the transient receptor potential vanilloid Type 1 channel. J Biol Chem. However, there are still experimental studies without clinical trials in which these drugs were used as therapy for sensitive skin. Demonstration of sensorineural changes through magnetic resonance imaging in previous studies with patients presenting with sensitive skin suggests that this is not only a subjective disease, but a dermatitis with a varied symptomatology and few clinical manifestations.

The evolution of studies of this dermatitis will contribute in the future to new therapies and guidelines for patients with sensitive skin. Abrir menu Brasil. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia. Abrir menu. Email: idaduarte terra. Abstract: Sensitive skin is a condition characterized by stinging, burning and itching sensations.

Chart 1 Comparison of frequencies of sensitive skin in different countries. Chart 2 Sensitive Skin Questionnaire. Positive answer in 2 of questions sensitive, reactive and irritative skin ; Positive answer in 3 of questions reaction to cosmetics ; Positive answer in 3 of questions reaction to the environment. Sensory reactivity test This is the cutaneous sensorineural evaluation of the application of chemical substances or physical stimuli.

Magnetic Resonance New studies aimed to evaluate brain activation during provocative tests of cutaneous sensory reactivity through nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, both in individuals with normal skin and in those with sensitive skin, by verifying differences between the two groups. Irritation tests These tests measure the signs of skin irritation after application of substances known as irritants such as sodium lauryl sulfate , by means of colorimetry or electrical capacitance measurement, for example.

Contact tests Contact tests and contact phototests should always be considered in the investigation of the patient with sensitive skin, seeking to exclude allergic and photoallergic contact dermatitis. Other methodologies One way to accentuate local conditions by increasing the irritative component of product use would be the behind-the-knee protocol in which the substance to be tested is applied in the popliteal fossa of the individual, Thus, a mechanical friction component to the traditional test.

To evaluate the stability of components; To eliminate unnecessary ingredients; To leave few active principles minimum or unique for each product ; To eliminate allergens and common irritants from the formulation. When this is not possible, to reduce the concentration of these substances; To avoid substances that increase the penetration of other substances into the skin, such as ethanol or propylene glycol; 7 7 Richters R, Falcone D, Uzunbajakava N, Verkruysse W, van Erp P, van de Kerkhof P, et al.

Fisher AA. Draelos ZD. Farage MA. Beradesca E. Publication Dates Publication in this collection Jul-Aug History Received 02 June Accepted 24 Nov This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited.

Silveira Natura Innovation and Technology Ltd. Debora Midori M. Pedroso Natura Innovation and Technology Ltd. Tables 2. Source: Taieb C, et al , Do you consider having sensitive facial skin?

Do you think you have sensitive facial skin that is prone to irritation? Do you think you have reactive facial skin which has a pungency, burning or itching, with or without redness? Do you avoid some cosmetics, which you think may cause reactive facial skin which presents pungency, burning or itching, with or without redness? A dermatologist is your best bet for figuring out your own individual trigger. However, generally speaking, those with sensitive skin would be wise to avoid using personal-care products that contain fragrances and dyes.

The same rules apply for the skin on your body — even using laundry detergent that is heavily scented or contains dye can cause a reaction, so Rabach recommends choosing detergents that are formulated specifically for sensitive skin.

Regarding skin-care specifically, Lewis advises her sensitive-skinned patients to steer clear of sulfates , exfoliants like glycolic, salicylic acid, and retinoids, and creams with multiple ingredients. Isopropyl alcohol and chemical sunscreens are also common irritants.

Another potential trigger is the way you go about your skin-care routine — specifically, the cleansing step. Wearing makeup isn't necessarily a total no-go, as long as you choose cosmetics that won't provoke irritation. Lewis recommends seeking out mineral makeup and silicone-based foundation, and generally choosing cosmetics with fewer preservatives and shorter ingredient lists.

One last cosmetics tip: Toss out any and all products that have been sitting around for too long. The longer they sit in your medicine cabinet, the more likely they can become spoiled or contaminated. Remember, if your skin becomes red, uncomfortable, dry, tight, or generally uncomfortable when exposed to any of the aforementioned triggers, don't just brush it off — go see a board-certified dermatologist. They will most likely give you a patch test, which can help determine the exact ingredients that exacerbate your symptoms, and they'll be the best equipped to advise you on how to take care of your sensitive skin.

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