How to Deal With Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin is so common. Something I have heard throughout my ENTIRE career. “My skin is so sensitive”, “I’m scared to try new products because my skin is so sensitive”, “I can only use ____ because my skin is so sensitive”.

The question is, what are the common denominators?

• What products are you using?
• Are you exfoliating too much?
• Are you using a scrub on your face frequently?
• Are you using products designed for acne prone skin?
• Are you moisturizing enough?

All of these factors play a huge role in our skin’s sensitivity.

Is your Skin Sensitive or Reactive?

But let’s get technical. There’s a difference between sensitive skin and reactive skin. Reactive skin is when the skin develops a reaction to a product, treatment or something environmental. This can cause a variety of issues like an allergic reaction, contact dermatitis, eczema, or a rosacea flare. Resulting in a trip to the dermatologist for a treatment plan.

Sensitive skin typically shows itself as slight erythema and stinging. But the main reason clients are so quick to mention they have sensitive skin is be cause they break out easily. Therefore, they think that the breakouts are due to their skin being sensitive to products and treatments. The good news is, that’s not the case! There are several factors to why someone is breaking out, but its not because they’re sensitive!

The bullet points I mentioned above are major components to mending the reaction you are experiencing and helping to prevent it as well. If you’re using skincare products that are too drying or designed for acne prone skin, chances are you’re drying your skin too much; creating a thin layer of dead dry skin on the very surface of the epidermis. Sometimes you can feel the layer, other times it’s nearly invisible to the naked eye. That dead layer then creates tiny microscopic tears in the skin making it a dance floor for products and skin treatments to cause redness and stinging.

As I mentioned earlier, many clients will state their frustrations about breaking out due to many of the bullet points above. Which they identify these issues as sensitivity. Remember that tiny dead layer of skin that’s just sitting on top of the skin? Well your oil is still going to secrete microscopically, but it will do so very slowly because the layer of dead skin is preventing it from secreting properly. That will then develop into extreme shine. Slick looking skin before the lunch hour anyone? This could be a reason why! If only a greasy face is where it ended. Unfortunately its not. That sebum that’s trapped under the dead skin will then start causing clogged pores, that will then develop into full blown breakouts.

You’re probably thinking, wait, I thought we were talking about sensitive skin. We are! All of the things I mentioned, dry skin, excess oil, clogged pores, and acne are all skin issues that are causes by the same common denominator. Which is then misdiagnosed by the public as sensitive skin.

How to Fix Skin Concerns

So how do we fix this? Its actually so easy! Scheduling an appointment with our licensed medical aestheticians to develop a customized treatment plan, which includes prioritizing an at-home skincare routine specifically for your skin type and needs. A retinol and hyaluronic acid incorporated into your routine can help dramatically. Keeping the dead skin under control as well as a hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate. Neocutis Nouvelle+ and Neocutis Hyalis+ are the perfect pair.

Also, scheduling a series of facials to help exfoliate that dead skin, extract the clogged pores and treat the acne, and moisturize! The Hydrafacial is great for all skin types! From that point on, to maintain your results from the facial and your new at-home skincare routine is getting a microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasions are great for keeping the thickened epidermis under control so that it doesn’t cause any more problems like the ones I mentioned above. Why can’t I just get a few microdermabrasions you might be wondering. Getting a microdermabrasion with active acne is not only painful, but it can spread the bacteria from the existing breakouts causing new ones. So making sure the acne is taken care of properly and making sure the bacteria is killed is crucial.

So in the end the client’s “sensitive” skin will be no more. Because it’s not actually sensitive. It was dry, off-balanced, dehydrated and irritated.

So if you find yourself thinking, “I can’t do _____ because my skin is too sensitive”, let our team of experts rebalance your skin so that you don’t have those reactions over and over – keeping you from having the best skin of your life!