There’s nothing wrong with being a sensitive person (hey, YOU’RE probably more attuned to people’s emotions). But there’s nothing right about sensitive skin. Because once your skin starts feeling inflamed and looking red, no other issue can get fixed. That’s right—if you’re trying to work on pesky zits or dark spots or fine lines, none of those things will get better unless YOU address sensitive skin signs and symptoms first.
That’s the reason knowing whether or not you have sensitive skin is essential to taking the best care of your complexion. But what are the signs of sensitive skin? Here are a few sensitive skin symptoms to be aware of!
#1 Your Skincare or Beauty Products Burn
A characteristic burn happens when you use a skincare or beauty product and you have sensitive skin. This is one of the most common sensitive skin signs. The product may cause your skin to burn, sting, itch, and just generally feel like YOU need to get it off ASAP!
Too often, people with sensitive skin experience the frustration of getting a new product only to have it burn their skin. Ingredients that can be responsible for this burning or stinging sensation include:
- Harsh detergents, such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), most commonly present in facial cleansers.
- Alcohol makes the skin drier and can exist in toners and many other products.
- Fragrance (also called ‘parfum’), which an estimated 2.5 million people are sensitive to, can be in just about any skincare or beauty product. Benzoyl peroxide is typically used in acne products and can cause dry, red, or peeling skin.
However, everyone’s skin is different, and different people can react to different products. For example, while products with essential oils are ok for some, others find them too harsh and irritating even though they’re natural.
#2 You Experience Patches of Dry, Rash-Prone, or Itchy Skin
We’ve already established how people with dry skin are more prone to having sensitive skin. However, people with sensitive skin can have particularly dry areas on their faces. Other sensitive skin signs include rash-prone or itchy skin. These rashes could take the form of a simple red rash to angry, acne-like breakouts.
YOUR skin may also feel tight if it’s sensitive. Common sensitive skin symptoms include itching, burning, stinging, tightness, and dryness, or you may experience specific areas that commonly have these symptoms on your face.
#3 You’re Sensitive to Sun and Weather Changes
If you’ve ever noticed that your skin tends to be more sensitive to the sun and weather changes than other peoples’, YOU may be seeing a sign of sensitive skin. People with sensitive skin usually turn red with even a tiny amount of sun exposure, heat, cold, and wind.
People living in low humidity and low temps (read: cold and dry weather) areas are more susceptible to decreased skin barrier function and increased reactivity, especially towards skin irritants and allergens. Thanks, sensitive skin, and Mother Nature!
#4 You’re More Likely to Have Breakouts
You don’t have to have oily skin to be prone to breakouts. People who have sensitive skin are prone to acne and other rash-like breakouts too. Since sensitive skin tends to be dry. Thus it compromises the skin’s natural barrier and can make reactivity and breakouts more likely.
These sensitive skin signs can differ for everyone and range from eczema-type rashes to breakouts that look more like acne with actual blemishes. What triggers your breakouts can vary too—from sweat to harsh beauty products, to reactivity to a particular food you ate. Sensitive skin can be frustratingly reactive!
#5 Your Skin Is Annoyingly Flaky
Flaky is among the most common sensitive skin symptoms. It could be a sign that your skin is dry, but you could also have peeling skin that can indicate sensitive skin. Flaky skin doesn’t just put a damper on your appearance—it could signify you’re using the wrong products and need a skincare routine overhaul.
Allergic reactions and inflammation are other causes of flaky skin, both of which can mean you may have sensitive skin. However, YOU may simply be using products that are too drying for your skin. So, be sure to take our free skincare quiz to find out if you’re using the most beneficial ones!
#6 You Have Rosacea, Eczema, or Dermatitis
Rosacea, eczema, and dermatitis are skin conditions and could mean you have sensitive skin. People who live with sensitive skin may be more prone to these conditions, but people of all skin types can experience them!
- Rosacea. If you blush more easily, you may actually have rosacea, a skin condition that causes redness. There are different types, some of which can cause the skin to have a thick, bumpy appearance or acne-like breakouts.
- Eczema. If you have patches of itchy or inflamed skin with a rash-like appearance, YOU may have eczema, called atopic dermatitis. Eczema, like rosacea, isn’t contagious. It’s usually an immune response to something the body (or skin) perceives as harmful.
- Dermatitis. This term simply means skin inflammation. There are different types, including contact dermatitis, which is a reaction to a specific substance, and atopic dermatitis (our friend eczema).
These skin conditions can also be reactions to something specific, such as eczema, resulting from food allergies and dermatitis. And also can result from using a product your skin didn’t like. So while they don’t automatically mean you have sensitive skin, they’re essential sensitive skin symptoms to pay attention to.
Do You Suffer From Sensitive Skin? What Are Some of Your Concerns?
If you live with sensitive skin, you know the frustration of finding mild skincare products, experiencing skin redness with weather changes, or skin conditions such as eczema and rosacea. Do YOU know if you have sensitive skin? Let us know in the comments below! What some of your top concerns are when living with sensitive skin symptoms!
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