Sensitive and Allergic Skin

The sensitive skin type is basically characterized by a fine texture with a thin epidermis and blood vessels very close to the surface. As a result, external and internal up-sets can easily register in form of blotchiness, redness, increased warmth, dehydration and irritation. The sensitive skin can feel taunt over the bone areas and have a tendency toward dryness, and with aging it usually results in a crepey texture. While there is always the danger of over stimulating this skin type, it is important that cellular function be increased to improve skin tone and elasticity. The term sensitive skin is a widely used name to describe a specific skin type. Although all skin types should be treated gently and respective of individual symptoms, the skins described as sensitive, however, do have some things in common.(Generally they are fine, have an insufficient keratinous layer and an unbalanced hydro-lipid film. In practical terms, the surface defenses are considerably lowered, causing the skin to be easily affected by chemical, mechanical, and atmospheric irritation and to react to fluctuations in temperature. From an internal perspective, sensitive skin is easily stimulated by stress, causing vasodilation, chronic dehydration and often erratic oil production. It is necessary at this point differentiate between individuals with sensitivity tendencies whose skin naturally have an underactive character, and the ones who fit into the over-active category. Since behavior in both types are similar in a number of instances, such as increased redness and dehydration, they oppose each other in the area of oil production. Under stress, the alipic sensitive skin dries up as the day goes by, accentuating lines and wrinkles - while the over-active skin, true to its character, can easily erupt and/or show a greasy film.