The term “sensitive skin” describes a variety of skin problems, from skin diseases such as Seborrhea, Psoriasis, Rosacea and Atopic Dermatitis up to sensitivity to specific ingredients. The symptoms vary as well, and include redness, itching, discomfort, burning, dandruff and lesions, that can dramatically affect people’s quality of life. Here are a few tips that can help you relieve sensitive skin:
Choose products to treat skin with neutralized acidity – in order to maintain the functioning of the epidermal barrier it is important to use products that are based on neutralized acidity (pH), where the optimal level is 5.5. This is especially required for sensitive skin to help keep it balanced and moisture.
Prefer products with no perfume or preservatives, such as paraben, that is known to provoke skin irritation, sensitivity and skin allergy.
Prefer using specific cleansers for sensitive skin instead of soap.
Prevent using other beauty care products that can irritate the skin, especially products including alcohol.
Make sure to use a high-quality moisturizing cream. When the skin barrier is damaged it affects the ability to retain skin moisture which is one of the key factors for high skin sensitivity among many people. Therefore, it is important to prefer moisturizer ingredients that maintain natural skin water content and prevent dehydration (such as Lactic Acid, Betaine, Panthenol, Urea and Hyaluronic Acid) as well as anti-oxidants, to help strengthen the epidermal layer.
Use special products for the healing and rehabilitation of the skin which are based on ingredients that help calm the skin and relieve itching and discomfort sensation, reduce inflammation, renew and rehabilitate the skin.
If you suffer from an inflammatory skin disease such as Atopic Dermatitis, or have allergies, you should choose products based on active ingredients that help skin rehabilitation and repair, like copper peptide complex and beta glucan; anti-inflammatory ingredients such as salicylic acid and omega-3 fatty acid; and ingredients that can calm and soothe the skin and decrease sensitivity sensation such as allantoin and aloe-vera.
For skin that suffers from Seborrhea it is recommended to use products that contain anti-inflammatory ingredients such as gamma linoleic acid and omega-6 ceramide; same as anti-seborrhea ingredients, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal proteins, such as Lactoferrin andLactoperoxidase. Soothing ingredients and anti-stimulating ingredients, such as bisabolol, produced from chamomile can help regulate the sebaceous glands.
For skin suffering from Rosacea it is highly recommended to use products containing ingredients that contribute to reduce redness, and that will calm and heal the skin. Active agents such as beta glucan which operates to calm and strengthen the immune system; special plant extracts which operates to reduce redness and helps calm the skin, and Tambourissa plant extract to detoxify and calm the skin.