Causes And Solutions For Sensitive Facial Skin – Understanding its causes and how to protect it

While sensitive skin can appear anywhere on the body, it is at its most obvious on the face. It occurs when skin’s natural barrier function is compromised, causing water loss and allowing penetration of irritants. Symptoms are exacerbated by factors that facial skin is most exposed to, from the sun to some ingredients in cosmetics and cleansers.

Having a greater understanding of the causes of sensitive facial skin, and the factors that can worsen it, can help reduce its impact and lessen occurrences.

Healthy skin performs a delicate balancing act, protecting against external influences, while regulating moisture levels. Much of this is down to the processes taking place in skin’s horny layer, or stratum corneum, which is made up of cells and lipids. These lipids are like the ‘mortar’ to the cells’ ‘bricks’, providing stability and permeability, regulating fluid and maintaining elasticity and firmness.

Their effectiveness, however, is dependent on enzyme activity, which is often weaker in sensitive skin. As a result, skin’s barrier function becomes compromised, leading to excess transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and enabling the penetration of irritants. This can be even more pronounced in facial skin, which is not only most exposed to factors like UV rays, pollutants and chemicals, but is also where the epidermis can be as thin as 0.02mm, compared to an average thickness of 0.1mm elsewhere.
Read more about skin structure.

Symptoms of sensitive facial skin may be:

• Flaking, redness, rashes, swelling, scaling and roughness.
• They can be accompanied by sensations of itching, burning, tightness and prickling.

These symptoms can appear anywhere on the face. They share similarities to those presented by other skin conditions, especially symptoms associated with moisture deficiency.

Dehydrated facial skin manifests at the surface as fine lines caused by dryness and tends to look dull. It also feels tight and uncomfortable. These symptoms can be caused by a decrease in the number of skin’s own moisture distribution channels, known as Aquaporins, which transfer water between cells in deeper epidermal layers. When Aquaporins decrease, the skin’s natural moisture balance suffers and its protective barrier is compromised. As a result, it is less resilient to external aggressors such as a dry and cold climate or irritating substances and may become increasingly sensitive. Ingredients such as Gluco Glycerol help to reactivate Aquaporins, intensively and long lastingly rehydrate skin and support its natural barrier function.

Dry facial skin can range from roughness to chapping and redness, and is caused by the loss of surface lipids that form a natural barrier, and of natural moisturising factors (NMFs) such as Urea and Lactate reducing moisture loss. Once this balance is compromised, moisture is lost through the skin.

Both conditions can lead to skin becoming sensitive to irritants.

Reactive hypersensitive facial skin is more common in women than men, and may be related to cosmetic practice and age, and goes along with an increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Symptoms occur after applying products to skin and may be experienced immediately, or be noticed hours or days later. These unpleasant sensations have been subjectively described as, among other things, stinging and burning, and can be accompanied by redness (erythema), scaling and pustules. Using products with very few, well-tolerated ingredients is key to reducing the impact of this condition.

Ageing skin is also prone to sensitivity, as thinning of the epidermis and reduced lipid synthesis can result in the barrier function being compromised. Declining levels of substances like Hyaluronic Acid, which hydrates the skin’s layers, and coenzyme Q10, which energises cells to improve their regenerative function, then exacerbate this situation. The result is a combination of fine lines and wrinkles with dry, reddened skin, and itchiness.

Facial skin can be affected by sun allergies. These share some symptoms with sensitive skin, including redness and itchiness, but also manifest as raised bumps, rashes, blisters and pustules. While most sun allergies, including Polymorphous Light Eruptions (PLE), are caused by UV radiation, ingredients of cosmetic products can be a factor, too. Find out more about PLE and other sun allergies or how sun affects skin.

If you are unsure about what type of skin condition you have, our online skin test may be able to help. Sensitive skin can be a symptom of a variety of diseases, so if you are at all worried about your condition, consult your doctor or dermatologist for a diagnosis and recommendation.

The skin has a plethora of systems in place to ensure it stays healthy. A hydrolipid film composed of water, fatty acids and lipids safeguards the surface. This has a pH of around 5, which is slightly acidic, protecting skin from bacterial invasion and alkaline extremes, like soap for example. It neutralises the alkaline through buffer substances, which make sure a balance is restored and made stable.

The physical barrier is the horny layer, or stratum corneum, where lipids work like cement, filling the spaces between the cells. Their permeability means that they regulate fluid loss and uptake therefore play a key role in providing the moisture that makes skin feel soft and smooth. This is also achieved through skin shedding, or desquamation, which again is encouraged and regulated by skin’s natural regeneration process.

All of these processes are dependent on enzyme activity. In sensitive skin, this activity can become inhibited, compromising the natural barrier function, and reducing lipid synthesis. As a result, water loss increases and irritants are able to penetrate skin.

Although sensitive skin can occur at any age, it is particularly common in babyhood and as skin ages. Babies’ skin is around one-fifth the thickness of adult skin and has a limited barrier function, making it highly sensitive to chemical, physical and microbial influences, as well as UV rays. On the other hand the barrier function of adult skin increasingly weakens with higher age, as well as metabolic processes slow down. Ageing skin gradually becomes lipid deficient, making it more easily irritated by alkaline substances such as soap. Read more about skin in different ages.

Hormonal changes due to the puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and the menopause can all affect skin’s resistance to irritants.

Prolonged periods of stress and lack of sleep are both known triggers of sensitive skin. These are often accompanied by poor nutrition and low hydration levels, both can exacerbate already dry and irritated skin.

People with type I allergies are more likely to experience skin sensitivity, due to the penetration of allergens like pollen through the skin.

Existing facial skin conditions ranging from dehydrated and dry skin to atopic eczema and acne can all result in skin becoming sensitive to irritants such as colorants, perfumes and alcohol.

Facial skin is exposed to all weathers, and almost every season brings with it factors that can trigger sensitivity.

Excessive cold reduces the secretions that maintain the hydrolipid film, while heat encourages sweating, which then evaporates, causing skin to become dry and more prone to irritation. Low humidity, prevalent in airplane cabins or even caused by central heating, dehydrates skin and can trigger sensitivity.

UV radiation, ozone and environmental pollutants have all been shown to place skin under stress through the creation of free radicals, weakening its natural defences. In particular, prolonged exposure to the sun can cause skin to dry out and become irritated. Read more about factors that influence skin.

Ingredients that are added to skin care products and cosmetics can cause facial skin to become sensitive. Some, such as conventional surfactants that remove dirt, can also remove surface lipids. Others, like ingredients in fragrances, some colorants or alcohol, may be in some cases irritant for skin that is prone to sensitivity, and in some cases they can trigger an allergic reaction. Read more about factors that influence skin.