What is sensitive skin? Sensitive skin is generally considered to be a highly intolerant skin condition that is susceptible to irritation by various factors and produces subjective symptoms such as tingling, burning, tightness, itching and other multi-factor syndromes with normal skin appearance or with mild flaking, erythema and dryness. Skin allergy is a kind of allergic reaction, from the entry of allergens into the body, prompting the body to produce the corresponding antibodies, triggering an antigen-antibody reaction, manifesting as erythema, papules, pemphigus and other clinically objective signs, often accompanied by pruritus. In contrast, sensitive skin is usually characterized by a reduced tolerance to stimuli and a series of abnormal sensory reactions, mostly lacking objective signs, and its mechanism of occurrence is not well understood, but it is generally believed that it is not accompanied by immune or allergic mechanisms. Etiology The cause of sensitive skin is unknown and may be the result of a combination of endogenous and exogenous factors acting separately or together. They can be divided into endogenous factors such as race, age, certain diseases, etc., and exogenous factors such as chemical irritation, environment, lifestyle, psychology, etc. Endogenous factors (1) Racial characteristics. The differences in the number of stratum corneum and intercellular adhesion, the amount and volume of melanin, etc. in different races lead to differences in skin sensitivity. (2) Differences in age. Young people are more prone to skin sensitivity than older people, probably due to the presence of diminished sensory nerve function and reduced nerve distribution in the skin of older people. (3) Gender differences. Generally speaking, women are more sensitive to skin irritation than men, probably due to the higher pH value of women’s skin, which is less buffering to stimuli. (4) Genetic factors. Most individuals with sensitive skin have a family history of sensitive skin. (5) Endocrine factors. The menstrual cycle can affect skin sensitivity. (6) Disease. Certain skin diseases can increase skin sensitivity, such as atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, ichthyosis, etc. Exogenous factors (1) Chemical factors. Such as cosmetics, soaps, detergents, etc. (2) Environmental factors. Such as rapid change of temperature, change of season, air pollution, sunlight, etc. (3)Lifestyle. Stimulating diet, alcohol can aggravate skin reactions. (4)Psychological factors. Increased stress, emotional arousal or aggravation of the skin reaction. Treatment principles The first step in the treatment of sensitive skin in general is to avoid re-stimulation and minimize cosmetic measures such as steaming, massage, and exfoliation. Cosmetics designed for sensitive skin can be used, which often contain vitamin B5, carboxymethyl beta-glucan, etc. Because the skin is dry, you can use moisturizing products that contain the right proportion of lipids. In addition, anxiety and irritability are the “nemesis” of sensitive skin, but a happy mood is the “savior” of sensitive skin, so if you want to be beautiful, remember to keep a happy mood, go to bed early and wake up early, do not stay up late, and ensure sufficient sleep. For patients with severe symptoms that affect their daily lives, oral antihistamines and topical non-hormonal anti-inflammatory medications can be used to relieve symptoms. In addition, it is important to seek medical attention in a timely manner. Means of prevention For individuals with sensitive skin, use cosmetics with uncomplicated ingredients that contain few or no allergens and irritants as much as possible. For daily skin care, adhere to the following three basic principles: (1) Gentle face washing: “moderate cleansing” is the key to maintaining sensitive skin, because dirt in the pores is also the culprit of allergy and inflammation, but do not wash your head too much, the sebum layer is destroyed, the skin is more prone to allergies. (2) Anti-allergic moisturizing: “moisturizing” is another maintenance focus for sensitive skin. Anti-sensitive lotions contain higher water content than creams to soothe sensitive skin, help the skin to adjust the degree of satiety and increase resistance. (3) protection isolation: did not do a good job sunscreen, but also cause UV physical sensitivity, especially inflammation of sensitive skin, it is not allowed to see the sun. If maintenance is the skin’s underwear, then sunscreen is like the skin’s outerwear, as long as you go out must be worn.