Sensitivity manifests as some or all of the following: burning, itching, stinging, redness, heat, flaking, blistering or broken skin.
Skin sensitivity is an indicator of two things that coexist in the skin: Inflammation & skin barrier dysfunction. These 2 things are like the chicken and the egg – they exist together but it’s a debate as to which came first! Scientific studies have confirmed that each of these things compounds and affects the other.
1. Inflammation
Underlying inflammation affects all of the skins defence mechanisms: it depletes beneficial microbes which can increase the likelihood of pathogenic bacteria taking hold, it also disrupts the formation of skin lipids and the way in which the skin layers are formed and function. All of this diminishes our skins ability to protect itself from pathogens and external irritation as well as reducing the skins ability to retain water, leading to increased trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and dehydration.
Internal inflammation can be created by gut dysbiosis, hormonal fluctuations, auto-immune disorders and stress – never underestimate the effects that stress can have on inflammation and skin sensitivity!
Inflammation is a totally normal and healthy response – it is crucial for repair and infection control. Problems only occur when the inflammation is constant and becomes what we call an inflammatory cascade which overwhelms body systems and results in negative outcomes. This is sometimes referred to as a “cytokine storm” – cytokines are the chemical messengers that are released to trigger inflammation and repair process.
Examples of inflammatory conditions are:
Diabetes
Asthma
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Psoriasis
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (Crohn’s, Coeliac, Colitis)
Auto Immune Conditions
Alzheimer’s And more…..
Clearly not everyone with inflamed or sensitive skin has a diagnosable “inflammatory condition” but I am certain that these “cascades” can happen in a more localised way within the skin itself causing inflammation in vulnerable areas.
Skins that have a history of inflammatory issues such as eczema, asthma or allergies (often referred to as the ‘atopic triad’ as they often occur together) are much more likely to be sensitive because of the constant demand on the innate immune system and a heightened inflammatory response to allergens and even typically harmless substances. In fact, studies have shown that if you have eczema or dermatitis anywhere on the body even the unaffected skin areas are more allergy prone.
If the immune system is constantly being triggered it becomes hypersensitive so therefore is far less tolerant than in people who don’t have underlying inflammation.
2. Barrier Dysfunction
Scientific studies show that when the surface of skin is damaged there is an immediate cytokine response and chain reaction of inflammation. The skin is so incredibly clever; when it detects that there isn’t enough protection in place it immediately puts the immune system on high alert by way of an inflammatory response, signalling repair mechanisms for healingand infection control.
As discussed above, sensitivity can be created by erosion of the skin barrier. This can be caused by harsh or excessive cleansing, over exfoliation or daily AHA’s disrupting the delicate balance of commensal (healthy) bacteria, fungi, viruses and mites that make up our skin microbiome as well as depleting the skin oils and vital layers of the upper epidermis that form the ‘roof’ of protective skin cells.
Read more on >>> “what is the skin barrier”
3. What to do to help and heal Sensitive & Inflamed skin
Healing and resolving sensitive skin always starts with repairing the skin barrier as a primary goal. Partly because it’s quick an easy to get your topicals right than the more unpredictable internal sources of the problem. Sometimes, if you’re lucky this is all the skin needs to repair itself and restore its healthy balance but more often there is also work to be done on internal drivers of inflammation to get sustained, lasting outcomes.
Once the skin barrier is restored there is usually improvement of symptoms and skin condition. Ongoing targeted treatments using skin specific ingredients can help maintain resilient skin and prevent future flare-ups of the skin condition as well as go on to target other issues such as ageing, breakouts and pigmentation.
Read more on internal inflammation and how to reduce it in my articles: “Gut Skin Brain Connection”