I have found that more people than not say that they struggle with skin sensitivities.  But what does that really mean?  “Sensitive skin”  is a term used to describe many different things and is not a medical term so it becomes a hard thing to define.  In the most general terms sensitive skin is easily irritated and that the irritation can range from mild to severe.

Most often, when people say they have sensitive skin they are referring to a reaction to a product or ingredient in a product they have used.  The common culprits are fragrance or detergent.  It is also common to have environmentally sensitive skin.  This could be due to allergies, dry or cold air or wind.  Both of these types of sensitivities can ”spiral” and a person may find that if their skin is already compromised by the dry air, for example, it could be more easily irritated by cosmetics or skincare products.

Rosacea and acne are examples of the third type of sensitive skin where inflammation and irritation is more chronic.  There is often swelling, redness, broken blood vessels and skin eruptions present.

Because sensitivities can be triggered by a number of different causes, sensitive skin can be frustrating and difficult to manage.  If you are struggling with skin sensitivities it is important to keep a detailed log of what causes irritations.  Food, environment, allergies and products are all possible culprits and it is an experiment to see what combinations of things will work best for you.