Sensitive skin is a condition the skin care professional sees every day in the treatment room. In a study published in the International Journal of Dermatology, 44.6 percent of individuals polled stated they had sensitive skin. As sensitivity levels rise due to various factors, it’s important to determine exactly where your client’s sensitivity comes from before deciding on a specific course of treatment.
       Skin sensitivity always comes with inflammation, whether visible or not. Environmental factors, reactions to cosmetics or fragrances, aging, medications and health challenges can all contribute to sensitive and ultra-sensitive skin. These factors can lead to symptoms such as stinging, itching, burning and/or visible skin changes like redness, dryness, scaling, peeling, bumps, acneic breakouts, hives or hyperpigmentation. Most people with sensitive skin don’t seek help from a professional until the discomfort becomes unbearable, so it’s essential for professionals to understand how to address it once a client comes to see you about it.

Factors Behind Sensitive Skin

Environmental

Exposure to extreme cold, heat or chemicals can cause skin sensitivity, as living in harsh climates or weather that swings from one extreme to another can result in inflammation and dehydration. This is why knowing where a client works or spends their time can help you identify their source of sensitivity.
       For example, a client who works in a factory where they are exposed to irritating chemicals may not benefit from aggressive treatments such as peels or lasers. Their environment is a contraindication, and their skin would have difficulty healing from these procedures.

Fragrance

Most people don’t suspect that fragrance could be behind their skin irritation because these ingredients don’t cause skin to become inflamed. However, the skin below the surface could be suffering from collagen breakdown resulting from a reaction to the fragrance. When collagen is compromised, the skin has a reduced ability to fight environmental damage or heal properly.
       When booking appointments, clients should be asked if they have any sensitivity to fragrances so you can be prepared with the right products and atmosphere in the treatment room. If possible, schedule these clients at the beginning of the day before an aroma builds up from other services. Consider carrying an alternative line of skin care that has little or no natural fragrance to accommodate fragrance sensitive clients.
        Note that clients who are pregnant or undergoing cancer treatments may have a temporary sensitivity to fragrance.

Cosmetic Ingredients

New skin care ingredients enter the market daily, as manufacturers use more natural ingredients for color and preservatives while promising to fulfill consumers’ ultimate skin care goals. Many food ingredients are now used for anti-aging, calming and even to provide natural color. These exciting developments in skin care formulations make it all the more important to ask clients about known allergies, including food.

 Cosmetic Intolerance Syndrome (CIS) is another issue to consider with sensitive clients. CIS is a skin condition that can result from a combination of factors. The overuse of topicals on a daily basis, along with regular use of acids or physical exfoliation can compromise the skin barrier. Active ingredients penetrate deeper and thus can cause rashes and inflammation. For clients with CIS, stay away from all acids and exfoliation. The goal with these clients must be to calm, hydrate and repair the barrier.

Health-Challenged Skin

An individual’s skin is considered health-challenged when it experiences reactive skin conditions resulting from internal diseased states and/or medications to treat these diseases. This factor cannot be overlooked, as close to 70 percent of all Americans take some sort of medication daily.

       Ask the right health and medication related questions on your client intake form in order to “do no harm.” For example, a client may not think it’s important to tell you they take antidepressants, however many such drugs can cause skin rashes and sensitivity.

Aging

Baby boomers make up almost 15 percent of our population, a percentage expected to increase in years to come. While this group seeks out the latest anti-aging discoveries, their skin physiology has changed with age, causing them to be more sensitive to certain treatments and products.
       The epidermis of aging skin has a slower cell turnover and a reduced production of lipids, which causes more dryness, while the dermis experiences a reduction in collagen. A professional can still work on wrinkles and spots for the aging client by using less aggressive ingredients like retinaldehyde or types of vitamin C specifically developed for sensitive skin.

Treatment And Home Care

Keeping the skin’s barrier in proper working order is key for clients with sensitive skin. Whether compromised due to health challenges or the use of aggressive products or treatments, the skin’s barrier needs to undergo a repair process. The proper steps must also be taken to protect it against future damage.
 Ingredients such as ceramides (1,3,6-11), natural waxes (candelilla and carnuba), oils with high fatty linoleic and alpha–linoleic acid content and probiotics can all be beneficial to helping restore barrier function.5 Also encourage sensitive clients to apply sun protection, as the sun’s rays can cause skin damage and impairment to the immune system. Avoid products that are too active or aggressive in treatments and home care recommendations.
 Hydration is also key to treating sensitive skin, starting with proper water intake. Topically, use and recommend ingredients that help maintain the skin’s moisture levels, such as hyaluronic acid and products that can provide a shield to keep the levels of moisture protected.

Advise the sensitive client to use microfiber towels on their skin and linens with a high thread count. They should also refrain from taking excessively hot or cold showers, in order to avoid inflammation.