Women's Health (US) have given advice to readers suffering with sensitive skin, in an article titled "Winterize your skin. Sensitive Skin: What you can do". I am not sure I entirely agree with everything, but below I have summarized the article and added in some other important points that were not mentioned or properly explained.
There is much debate about sensitive skin being a skin TYPE or a skin CONDITION. Women's Health quoted Marianna Blyumin- Karasik, a dermatologist in Miami as saying, "Women with sensitive skin have hyperactive immune systems that read certain products or weather conditions as enemies and fight them off as foreign objects. This reaction often leads to skin redness, itching, stinging, burning, and peeling." By this characterization, sensitive skin is a skin TYPE. Sometimes, with the correct care, one may "grow out of" the sensitivity, or the skin will balance, heal and regulate itself. In that case, sensitive skin would be a skin condition, as it is not forever, it is just temporary. Note that "temporary" may be 3 months, 3 years or 13 years.
Experiencing skin redness, peeling, burning, stinging and/or itching does not necessarily mean that you have sensitive skin. It means you have symptoms of sensitive skin. This may be due to trying/using a new product that contains an ingredient that you are sensitive to. Consulting with a dermatologist or medical professional can't do harm, but if you know what you're sensitive to, or sometimes allergic to, simply avoid products that contain it.
Here are a few tips to help you:
1. Choose fragrance-free products. This may extended into you body care routine as well as household cleaning. Read product labels and select products that say "hypoallergenic", "formaldehyde-free", "dermatologically APPROVED". "dermatologically tested" is no longer good enough, it needs to be dermatologically approved.
2. Many cleansers contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate which is a foaming agent, detergent and surfactant, meaning it breaks down the glue that keeps/binds skin cells together. This glue is mostly necessary, and it prevents dryness and damage. Cleansers may also contain Tetrasodium EDTA and Triclosan which is drying. This isn't necessarily all bad, but most sensitive skins are already dry, and these worsen the condition. Use cleansers only if they are prescribed/recommended by your dermatologist or if they are specifically for sensitive skin. Sodium Laureth Sulfate is milder than Sodium LAURYL Sulfate so you may find that some "sensitive skin" cleansers may contain S.Laureth.Sulfate, but try to use one that contains neither. Note: these ingredients will be second or third from the top of the ingredients list.
3. Makeup irritants:
- Ultramarine blue - common in eyeshadow (especially blue hues)
- Mica - light-reflector, common in mineral makeup and bronzers, known to cause itching.
- bismuth oxychloride - sheen/shimmer enhancer, known to cause stinging.
There is probably many more and these ingredients are very commonly used, so it is hard to avoid, but Dr Zoe Draelos, a consulting professor of dermatology at Duke University School of Medicine, suggests using neutral shades such as beige and brown as they contain less irritating chemical pigments. She also said, "Choosing liquid blushes, bronzers, and foundations (which aren't brushed on) will keep your skin placated," in Women's Health's USA March 2012 issue. Brushing on eyeshadow, blush, etc may irritate your skin, especially if you aren't gentle, and if your makeup accessories and brushes are on the hard side.
4. Environmental Factors. I always emphasize the importance of wearing sunscreen all year round. "Ultraviolet light mutates proteins in the skin, which damages skin cells and causes a red, stinging reaction known as photosensitivity." Annet King, director of global education for Dermalogica and The International Dermal Institute, recommends wearing a physical sunscreen that contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as opposed to irritating chemical UV absorbers such as PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid), benzophenones, and cinnamates. If the climate where you live is very dry, it's best to use a moisture-rich humectant moisturizer that contains glycerin, and apply it immediately after cleansing/showering/bathing, and apply throughout the day if necessary.
5. Stop touching your face! Many people, sensitive skin or not, are guilty of this. Stop it. Just go cold turkey and stop it! You type, you text (think of all the surfaces your phone has touched), you touch the elevator buttons, then the office door, then you take someone's hand (who knows where they've been, what they've touched, when last they've washed their hands). No no no no NO! Don't put all that onto your skin.
6. Some makeup removers are not gentle enough for sensitive skin...even if they say they are. The only way to know if something is mild enough for you is to try it, so ask for samples, or buy it. I don't have sensitive skin, but I am still looking for an eye makeup remover that does not sting the skin around my eyes and sometimes burns my eyes. In this case, it is totally okay to use facial wipes instead. Many brands have a sensitive skin option. I love Good Things Total Wipe Out Cleansing Wipes, available at Clicks if you live in SA. It is biodegradable, and contains NO mineral oils, petrochemicals, parabens, sodium laureth (and lauryl) sulfate, and nothing has been derived from or tested on animals.
After removing your makeup with facial wipes, rinse your face and pat dry, before continuing with your skin care routine.
7. Slow down. Yes, you want to prevent/slow down signs of ageing being apparent on YOUR face, but be smart. Many anti-ageing products have skin-sensitizing ingredients in it, and many anti-ageing products are only meant to be used from a certain age. If you are not that age yet, leave it alone. Find something more appropriate for your age, skin type, skin condition, lifestyle. Rather concentrate on skin health as early as possible. Have a look at Environ and what they're about, and when in doubt consult a dermatologist.
Miss B
