Do you think you have sensitive skin but aren’t quite sure? Or maybe you know that you have sensitive skin, but you aren’t sure what to do about it.
Below are top five signs of sensitive skin, as well as our best tips for addressing each issue so you can proactively take care of your skin and live a happier, healthier life.
Sign #1: Your Skin Is Reactive
New soap? You develop a rash. Cold weather? Your skin dries out. New face wash formulation? You break out.
If you struggle with sensitive skin, all of the above scenarios likely sound painfully familiar to you. The fact is that sensitive skin is reactive. It can even react to new products or environments you never would have thought would impact your skin.
What To Do About It
You can work with a dermatologist to create a complete list of triggers. You can’t avoid everything that causes your skin to react. However, if you avoid what you can, then your skin will be better equipped to deal with the situations you can’t. You can find your triggers by downloading our reactive detective app Flares and cross-reference products you know trigger you, so you can find ingredients they have in common. Those may be what is irritating your skin since they are common denominators.
Sign #2: You Break Out Easily
Did you think that breakouts and acne only impacted teens? Unfortunately, for those with sensitive skin, breakouts can continue even late into adulthood.
It may appear in the typical fashion – red bumps and pustules – or you may even experience painful cystic acne.
What To Do About It
Keep a log for a few weeks tracking your daily habits, your skincare routine, and your breakouts. An in-depth tracker that logs diet, exercise, stress levels, and skincare ingredients can help you pinpoint triggers.
Are you struggling to find a pattern? A log of ingredients or products that break you out is also incredibly helpful for your dermatologist. It can help them pinpoint triggers where you may not see them.
Sign #3: You Have Itchy, Dry Patches
Dryness, tightness, and itching go hand-in-hand with sensitive skin. It can be anything from small dry patches on your face during the winter to cracked and bleeding skin on your hands after using a new soap.
What To Do About It
Moisturize and protect your skin proactively to avoid dryness and irritation. What does this look like?
- Use a high-quality moisturizer on your skin after every encounter with water.
- Use cool or lukewarm water instead of hot water in your showers and when washing your hands and face.
- Use barriers (e.g., scarves, gloves, hats) to protect against cold, dry weather.
- Avoid skin care products that contain alcohol as they are incredibly drying.
Hyaluronic acid is another great addition to your skincare routine. It locks in moisture and protects the cells from damage.
Sign #4: You’re Prone to Rashes
Beyond acne, you may also notice you’re prone to rashes, red bumps, and pustules on other areas of your skin. This is a classic sign of skin sensitivity, and it often has to do with the ingredients in a new product.
What To Do About It
When adding anything new to your routine – soap, makeup, lotion, laundry detergent – be sure to test it on a small patch of skin. If a rash hasn’t developed within 24 hours, you’re likely safe to proceed but keep an eye out for signs of irritation.
Sign #5: You Sunburn Easily
If you have sensitive skin, then damage from the sun is something you should work to protect yourself against aggressively. If you’re someone who easily burns, or who regularly itches and peels after sun exposure, you need to be extra cautious.
What To Do About It
A broad-spectrum SPF is a must-have, both for your body and your face. Apply sunscreen liberally and reapply as directed on the bottle. When in the sun for long periods of time, wide-brimmed hats, umbrellas, and light layers are also recommended.
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