Frequent facial redness mightindicate sensitive skin, but not always! Before learning how to identify it, let’s first understand the concept of sensitive skin.Sensitive Skin is a suboptimal skin condition where the skin is more prone to problems triggered by external stimuli compared to normal, healthy skin. For a long time, there was no official, clear, or unified definition. This changed in 2017 when leading dermatologist He Li, along with 31 other renowned Chinese dermatologists from groups like the Skin Beauty Group of the Chinese Society of Dermatology, developed the Chinese Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Sensitive Skin.This consensus defines sensitive skin as a hyperreactive state occurring under physiological or pathological conditions, primarily on the face. Clinically, it presents with subjective symptoms like burning, stinging, itching, and tightness when stimulated by physical, chemical, or emotional factors. These sensations may or may not be accompanied by objective signs like redness, scaling, or capillary dilation.In simpler terms, sensitive skin is a subhealthy, highly reactive state where the skin has low tolerance, is overly responsive to external stimuli, and easily develops issues like redness, swelling, itching, pain, and dryness after exposure to irritants.Based on this concept, we can understand how to determine if you have sensitive skin. Generally, there are a few methods:
- Method 1: Clinical Diagnosis by a Dermatologist. A skin doctor can use professional methods to diagnose sensitive skin.
- Method 2: Lactic Acid Stinging Test. A 10% lactic acid solution is applied to the nasolabial folds (area between nose and mouth). Significant stinging or itching sensations strongly suggest sensitive skin.
- Method 3: Self-Assessment. There are online questionnaires and scales for assessing sensitive skin. You can perform a self-assessment by combining these with an evaluation of your skin’s actual condition.
If you confirm you have sensitive skin, the golden rule for skincare is simplicity. Avoid over-complicating your routine and “stressing” your skin. Daily, stick specifically to products designed for sensitive skin.
