Is Your Skin Sensitive or Sensitized? Here's How To Know and How To Deal

Introduction

Whether you have sensitive skin or sensitised skin, it’s important to know the difference so that you can address the issues properly. Sensitive skin is a genetic condition characterized by an overactive immune system, producing redness and discomfort. Sensitized skin is caused by environmental factors that weaken the skin’s barrier, which leads to increased sensitivity. The key is to identify what’s causing the problem so it can be managed properly by taking the proper steps to care for it at home and prevent further damage from occurring in the future!

Sensitive skin is a genetic condition characterized by an overactive immune system, producing redness and discomfort.

Sensitive skin is a genetic condition characterized by an overactive immune system. This means that skin reacts more readily to irritants and can experience redness, itchiness and discomfort.

Sensitive skin is sensitive to heat, cold, wind and sun exposure; it may become redder than usual with prolonged exposure to these elements. Sensitive skin also reacts poorly to chemicals (perfumes or detergents) as well as pressure from clothing or jewelry – making it especially irritating if you have any kind of dryness on top of it all!

Sensitized skin is caused by environmental factors that weaken the skin’s barrier, which leads to increased sensitivity.

Sensitized skin is caused by environmental factors that weaken the skin’s barrier, which leads to increased sensitivity. These factors include pollution, excessive sun exposure, stress and hormonal changes. Food allergies and medications can also trigger a sensitized state in your skin. Other common causes of this condition include excess oil production and drying soaps or cleansers; lack of moisture; use of harsh chemicals; exposure to irritants like detergents or chlorine; as well as acne-causing bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes).

The good news is that there are steps you can take to improve your chances of avoiding sensitive or sensitized skin!

If you have sensitive skin, you can expect:

redness and inflammation
itching and irritation
tightness
dullness
dryness
acne (this is a big one)

Rosacea & Couperose: Telangiectasias Flushing & Burning Sensation

1. Redness and inflammation

Our skin can be sensitive to many things. One of the most common symptoms is redness and inflammation.

If you notice that your face, neck, or chest looks red after using a product, it could mean you have sensitive skin. This might sound counterintuitive—we think the first sign should be dryness—but it’s true: when something irritates your skin, the area will react by turning red and possibly swelling up (or “puffing out”). Redness means that blood vessels under your skin have become dilated; this makes it more difficult for oxygen to reach cells in that area—exactly what happens when someone suffers from heartburn from an over-acidic diet or GERD from an overexposure to stomach acid! It also indicates there are high levels of histamine present in those areas; again, this may be caused by an allergic reaction.

In general terms though (and without getting into all the science), inflammation is just a response that involves tissue swelling as well as increased blood flow to injured tissues which causes them to redden or turn purple because of extra exposure to oxygenated hemoglobin molecules. Inflammation can result from chronic irritation such as stress but also acute injuries like sunburns or cuts due to trauma which cause localized bleeding under our surface layers before scabbing over days later once they’ve healed sufficiently enough underneath our epidermal layer so we don’t notice any longer but still remember how painful they were back then during recovery time…

2. Itching and irritation

Irritation is one of the most common symptoms of sensitive skin. It can be caused by a number of different things, including stress and hormones to environmental factors like air pollution or chemicals in your skincare products. In general, you should avoid using ingredients that irritate the skin such as fragrance, alcohol and color additives. If you have dry skin or eczema-prone skin use mild cleansers and moisturizers without harsh ingredients like fragrances or dyes (look for “fragrance free” or “hypoallergenic”).

3. Tightness

Tightness

Tightness is a common symptom of sensitive skin, and it can be caused by a number of things, including dryness, irritation or inflammation. Dry skin will feel tight and uncomfortable while irritated or inflamed skin has that same taut feeling as well as redness and/or visible bumps (called papules). The most important takeaway here is that if your skin feels tight after using products like cleansers or moisturizers with ingredients you know are beneficial for your complexion—like jojoba oil!—you might actually be doing more harm than good to your face. This can happen when the products you’re using contain ingredients that are too harsh for your face but not abrasive enough to create negative side effects such as burning or itching sensations; these may be easily overlooked since they don’t cause pain but do cause irritation which leads directly to tightness.

4. Dullness

If your skin is dull, this can be a sign of aging. Dullness can also be caused by a lack of hydration, sun damage and dry skin. If you have eczema or rosacea, your skin may appear more dull than usual as well.

If you have sensitive or sensitized skin, one way to deal with this is to find products that are formulated for sensitive and sensitized skin (like AHAVA Purifying Facial Cleanser – Fragrance Free) and use those instead of your regular cleanser. You might want to try out some chemical exfoliants like glycolic acid or lactic acid as they tend to be less irritating than physical exfoliants like microdermabrasion beads or scrubs which can cause irritation if used too often or applied too vigorously.

5. Dryness

Dryness

Dry skin is a common problem, and it can be caused by a number of factors. Dryness may be caused by genetics, age, or environmental factors such as the weather (dry winter air), temperature changes (going from hot to cold), or your own lifestyle habits. If you’re experiencing dry skin and want to know how to treat it, we’ve got some helpful tips for you!

6. Acne

Acne is a common problem in teens and young adults. It is not a sign of poor hygiene, but rather the overproduction of sebum and excess dead skin cells. Acne can be treated with topical medications or antibiotics.

If you have acne and your doctor has prescribed medication to treat it, remember that these medicines are not intended for long-term use and may cause side effects like dryness or redness if used continuously for several months. Talk to your doctor if you experience any side effects or want to discuss alternative treatment options (e.g., retinoids).

7. Rosacea and couperose (telangiectasias)

Rosacea and couperose (telangiectasias)

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that causes redness and pimples on the face. Couperose is a condition that causes redness, swelling and broken blood vessels on the face. These conditions are caused by inflammation of the blood vessels in your skin, which leads to dilated veins in your face that break easily due to increased pressure. This can make you look like you have been crying or have just been exercising too much!

To keep these types of skin conditions at bay:

Use products containing niacinamide (vitamin B3) daily as it helps reduce inflammation
Use a moisturizer with ceramides every day so it won’t get dry easily

8. Flushing and burning sensation

If you experience flushing, burning and stinging sensations on your face or body, it could be a symptom of rosacea. Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that causes redness on the cheeks, nose and chin. It’s usually accompanied by pimples or pustules — whiteheads filled with pus that can erupt anywhere on your face or body.

Rosacea is caused by dilated blood vessels in the face that allow an excess amount of blood to pass through them when they’re open. This results in redness due to capillaries popping and releasing their contents onto nearby tissues (think: broken capillaries). The deep red color of this rash may look like small broken vessels under the surface of your skin.

If you have sensitized skin, you can expect:

Irritation, tightness, stinging and itching on the skin after cleansing or using cosmetics with strong ingredients that are not recommended for sensitive skin (e.g., alcohol or fragrance.)
Breakouts as a result of trying out new products that irritate your skin.

1. Irritation, tightness, stinging, itching and dry patches on the skin after cleansing or after using cosmetics with strong ingredients that are not recommended for sensitive skin (e.g., alcohol or fragrance.)

Irritation, tightness, stinging, itching and dry patches on the skin after cleansing or after using cosmetics with strong ingredients that are not recommended for sensitive skin (e.g., alcohol or fragrance.)

If you’re experiencing these symptoms while using a cleanser or product in your routine:

Stop using it immediately and go back to your regular cleanser (if you’ve been trying something new).
Wash with water only until your skin feels comfortable again. If you need to use another product right away (like toner), go ahead and do so—but don’t put on any other products yet!

2. Breakouts as a result of trying out new products that irritate your skin.

This is one of the most common causes of breakouts. When you try out a new product, it’s not uncommon for your skin to react negatively either immediately or over time. The best way to deal with this is to stick with products that are gentle on your skin and don’t contain harsh chemicals. It’s also important that you only use a small area of your face (like the corner) when trying out something new in case there are any negative reactions from using the product.

Try out new things, but do so sparingly—and always be sure to dilute them before applying them directly on your face!

The key is to identify what’s causing the problem so it can be managed properly by taking the proper steps to care for it at home and prevent further damage from occurring in the future!

Step one: Identify your skin type. Is it dry, oily, or normal? Once you know that, you can narrow down what products would work best for your skin type and start looking for them at local drug stores or on Amazon (or both). Your face wash should have a pH of 5-6, which is slightly acidic like water. If your face wash doesn’t have this pH level but instead has one closer to 7-8 (alkaline), then it might be aggravating certain areas of your face that are already irritated due to sensitive skin! This will cause more problems down the road so make sure any product you use fits these specifications before sticking with it long term without any issues 🙂

Conclusion

It is important to remember that the only way to know for sure if you have sensitive or sensitized skin is by visiting a dermatologist. They will be able to provide you with a diagnosis and treatment plan best suited to your needs!