Do You Have Sensitive Skin?

By Skincareguide.ca

Signs and Symptoms of Sensitive Skin

• You have tingling, tightening, or skin discomfort without visible signs.
• You easily reacts to cosmetic, and household products
• Your skin tends to overreact to external factors: shaving, stress, aesthetic procedures, weather
• You have diffuse redness, drying, recurrent irritation of the skin
• Your dermatologist has eliminated any underlying skin conditions like eczema, rosacea or psoriasis

What are the statistics?

• 56% of Canadian women suffer from sensitive skin
• 24% report having had a reaction to cosmetics products
• 46.4% of women with sensitive skin also have dry skin
• 46.3% of women with sensitive skin have consulted a dermatologist

Skincare Tips for Sensitive Skin

• Sensitive skin needs to be treated with care. That means watching your intake of alcohol, spicy foods and caffeine; using cleansers, moisturizers, cosmetics, detergents and fabric softeners (i.e. Tide Free, Bounce Free) designed specifically for sensitive skin.
• Make a point of choosing mild, soap-free and fragrance-free cleansing products. These are designed to gently clean without removing the essential oils that keep skin soft and healthy.
• Handle with care! If your skin is sensitive you should avoid cleansing grains, brushes and loofahs. Instead, choose specially formulated, non-irritating liquid cleansers, or even hard-milled soaps, which often work very well for cleaning sensitive skin.



• If your skin is sensitive, stay away from skin care products containing exfoliants. These products remove dead skin cells, but for some they may also cause irritation, redness and discomfort.
• If you have sensitive skin, take a close look at the ingredient list in your facial cleanser. You'll want to stay away from surfactants (surface-acting agents) containing carboxylate, sulfonate or sulfate ions, as these compounds can be irritating.
• Winter months can be particularly harsh on sensitive skin. When the cold weather sets in, use extra moisturizer on your face, hands, body and feet to compensate for the dryness of the season.
• What does hypo-allergenic really mean? Hypo-allergenic does not mean non allergenic but rather it means that the most common skin allergens have been removed form the skincare product.
• Does perfume-free always mean no perfume? Perfume free products can sometimes have perfumes in them to block the chemical smell of a cosmetic but they are labeled as preservatives. The only topical preparation that does not need a preservative is pure petroleum jelly.

About SkinCareGuide.ca:
The SkinCareGuide Network of dermatology-related websites was founded by a prestigious group of international dermatologists. It provides comprehensive information for patients and physicians about the skin, its care and various skin conditions and treatments. All content is reviewed by an independent Board of Medical Advisors to ensure that the information is accurate, unbiased and up-to-date. This information is not intended to replace a consultation with your own physician.