Sensitive Skin

A sensitive skin is a thin or a fine-textured skin. It reacts quickly to both heat and cold; therefore, it sunburns and windburns easily. It is commonly dry, delicate and prone to allergic reactions. Temperature changes, some detergents, cosmetics and alcohol (used on the skin) can all cause irritation, leaving the skin red and blotchy, with visible surface veins.

In most cases, the cascade of events that occur with sensitive skin are due to an impaired or incorrectly functioning barrier. Our skins have a natural barrier that protects us from harmful substances or irritants entering the skin and this same barrier also prevents water to be lost from the skin. If the barrier is not functioning, then the skin becomes sensitive dry, irritated and can even be adversely affected by products that are in fact GOOD for the skin.

The first step to treating sensitive skin is to repair the skin’s barrier. This requires a two-level approach:

1. Use a Barrier Repairing product specifically designed for this skin condition
2. In-clinic treatments that aid in restoring and renewing and repairing the barrier function

In-Clinic Treatments may include:

• PDT
• Laser Genesis
• Candela VBeam Laser Painting / Laser Toning
• Transdermal Mesotherapy with soothing, healing ingredients
• Carboxytherapy

If you have very sensitive skin then consider the following advice:

• Daily use of a barrier repairing cream until the skin is restored is really important
• Use sun-screen lotions or creams. Choose products that do not contain potential allergens such as fragrance or PABA.
• Wash your face with mild cream cleansers rather than soaps or foamy cleansers
• Avoid toners as these often contain alcohol
• Never use any makeup or perfume without first testing a small amount on the inside of your wrist to gauge the reaction of your skin
• Any topicals (such as moisturisers) you choose to use, should also be free of these irritants: parabens, surfactants, fragrance, artificial colours Alpha lipoic acid, acetic acid, allantoin, balsam of peru, benzoic acid, camphor, cinnamic acid, cinnamon oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil, DMAE, isopropyl isostearate, isopropyl myrisstate, lactic acid, menthol, parabens, peppermint oil and quarternium-15.