Do you suffer from sensitive skin?
Don't worry, you're not alone. About 44% of American's also report having sensitive skin. It can be frustrating and will certainly cause you to rethink your usual routine in order to properly care for your skin and do what you can do reduce inflammation, redness, breakouts and more.
Don't stress about finding the right products. We've broken down a guide to the most common complaints and more importantly, how to treat them with the right skin care for sensitive skin!
Blotchy Skin & Redness
Severe redness is typically a sign of rosacea. Other symptoms of this condition include thick patches of red skin on areas of the face along with visible blood vessels or oil glands. Rosacea can be treated by your dermatologist but there are skin care products to avoid and add to your normal routine in order to help.
There are several things to keep in mind when treating this condition. First of all, be kind to your skin. Don't over exfoliate, get rough facials or apply products geared toward drying out your skin. When we see oil glands or rough skin, our first instinct might be to force them off the skin but this will only make things worse.
You need to hydrate and heal from the inside out. Try applying a soap-free face wash. Opt for ingredients like oatmeal or licorice root or you can even try a cleansing oil which has become a popular alternative to normal cleansers.
With rosacea, the most important element to include in your routine is a moisturizer. A good moisturizer creates a block on your skin from the outside elements which can cause flare-ups and irritate your skin further.
Some terrific skincare products for redness:
- Dermelect Redness Rehab Rosacea Relief
- PCA Skin Anti - Redness Serum
- Avene Antirougeurs Day Redness Relief Soothing Cream SPF 25
- Skin Laundry Hydrating Cream Face Wash
Don't over complicate your skincare routine. Many times, a cleanser and moisturizer are enough. With sensitive skin, especially rosacea, adding more products means adding more chemicals and the likelihood of irritating your skin and causing more redness increases.
Take note of any outside elements or foods that increase flare-ups and be sure to apply sunscreen every day. SPF will not get rid of your redness but it can help it from getting worse. As always, it's important to protect your skin from the sun, especially during a flare-up when your skin is vulnerable to increased damage.
Breakout-Prone
Well past those teen years but still experiencing consistent breakouts? This is especially tough for those with sensitive skin because inflammation is already a problem, making a pimple appear to look worse than on someone without sensitive skin.
Breakouts can be caused by many things like stress, hormonal imbalance or the use of pore-clogging products. Pay attention to when you do break out and see if you can pinpoint what might be causing it.
Do you see a pimple pop up after using a certain makeup or other skin care product? Notice more blemishes when you eat certain types of food, like dairy?
Take note and try to eliminate anything that might be contributing to the problem. Those with sensitive skin and breakouts should stick to a simple routine. Try a cleanser, moisturizer and spot treatment for the pimples.
You can spot treat with salicylic acid as opposed to benzoyl peroxide. The salicylic acid will irritate the skin less but still work effectively on the breakout. You can also use an anti-acne product with sulfur which will improve mild to moderate acne and help with inflammation.
Ultra Dry
It's important to know the difference between dry and dehydrated skin because they should be treated separately. Dry skin is a skin type, meaning your skin is always prone to dryness and it's not caused by exterior elements such as diet or skincare product. Dehydrated skin, however, is temporary and a result of something you're drinking, eating or doing to your skin to cause it to dry up.
Dry skin needs consistent care and moisture. If it's not treated, it results in inflammation and redness. Try washing your skin less. If you wash morning and night, try limiting your washing to only at night.
Don't over exfoliate, mask or use products with alcohol or other drying ingredients like toner or astringent.
Instead, opt for moisture-rich products, oils, and creams such as Aloe Vesta. You should be applying these products multiple times per day to get the benefits. If you are set on using masks in your routine, be sure to opt for a hydrating one that will increase the amount of moisture in your skin.
Allergic
Does your skin panic at the sight of the slightest irritant? If you find yourself with red, itchy bumps and inflammation be extra diligent about the ingredients you're putting on your skin.
Milk and aloe compresses can calm skin if you're in the midst of an allergic reaction. In between the flare-ups, be sure you're using anti-allergen products. Consider a gluten-free cleanser that will tone down inflammation or a moisturizer that contains bisabolol, an ingredient known to calm allergic reactions and soothe irritation.
Aveeno, Cetaphil and Burts Bees all make affordable, clean products that are great for people with sensitive and highly allergic skin. Try their cleansers and moisturizers to start and if your skin has a positive reaction, you can incorporate more products as needed.
Skin Care for Sensitive Skin; Try These Products!
Sure, having sensitive skin can be frustrating and definitely requires more consideration and modification when coming up with a routine that best suits you.
Don't overdo it when it comes to skincare for sensitive skin. Keep it simple and try integrating one new product at a time to see how your skin reacts before adding on others. Less is more when it comes to treating your sensitive skin. Too many products will irritate it and only cause more inflammation.
Contact us with any questions and be sure to check out our products for your various health and medical needs.
On to you
What questions do you have? Let us know in the comments below and we'll be happy to help!
-Marc Kaplan
CEO, Save Rite Medical
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Created with a vision of helping customers in anyway possible, Save Rite Medical CEO, Marc Kaplan, created the company and has grown it to become the leading internet provider of medical supplies. Through valuable products to educational information, Save Rite Medical is your #1 resource for medical supplies.
