Is sensitive skin a skin type?

Can skin be oily and sensitive?

Sensitive and oily can describe the same skin, even if a shopping filter would prefer you to pick one. Skin classification systems can assess oiliness and sensitivity separately, rather than putting everyone into one exclusive category. Oily sensitive skin is a recognised combination of traits. Sensitivity therefore does not automatically mean that you need the richest moisturizer available. Choose the moisturizer for your hydration needs, then consider whether its ingredients suit skin that reacts easily.23

What does sensitive skin feel like?

Sensitive skin syndrome describes stinging, burning, pain, itching or tingling in response to things that would not normally cause those sensations. Skin can look normal or show redness, so appearance alone does not tell the whole story. The face is a common location, but sensitivity can affect other areas. Cosmetics, sunlight, changes in temperature and wind can trigger symptoms. Symptoms often begin within an hour of exposure and last minutes to hours. Describing what you feel, what preceded it and how long it lasts helps a dermatologist assess the problem.4

Is sensitivity the same as irritation or allergy?

No. Irritation can happen after exposure to something that irritates skin generally, such as detergents or shaving. An allergy involves an immune reaction to a particular allergen after sensitisation. Sensitive skin syndrome specifically describes unpleasant sensations that cannot be explained by an underlying skin disease. Similar symptoms can also accompany skin conditions, which need their own assessment. For example, dyshidrotic eczema requires gentle care and protection from irritants; its advice to avoid lotions is specific to that condition, not a rule for everyone with sensitive skin.45

How should you care for sensitive skin?

A basic routine needs a cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen, not enough categories to require its own contents page. Start with these essentials rather than adding exfoliation immediately.3

1. 1Wash gently when you wake up, before bed and after sweating. Use warm water and a mild cleanser, apply it with your fingertips, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Avoid scrubbing and cleansers with microbeads.
2. 2Apply a moisturizer chosen for your skin's hydration needs. Look for fragrance free products. Glycerin is one moisturizing ingredient used in creams for sensitive skin.
3. 3Finish your morning routine with sunscreen. Choose broad spectrum protection, SPF 30 or higher and water resistance, and apply it before going outdoors.
4. 4Before using a new facial cream, try it on your inner arm for a few days and watch for a reaction. Be especially careful with retinol and exfoliating ingredients such as salicylic acid, which can irritate sensitive skin.

Which labels are useful?

In the US, 'natural' and 'clean' have no set skincare standard, so those words do more work on the packaging than they do in your decision. Read the ingredient list instead. Fragrance free is different from unscented: an unscented product can contain ingredients that mask other smells. 'Hypoallergenic' also has no federal definition, so do not use that claim as your only reason to choose a product. Prefer simple formulas and avoid fragrances, including natural fragrances.7

When should you see a doctor?

Stop using a product that causes a rash. Get medical advice if the rash worsens, lasts more than three weeks, affects your eyes or mouth, or interferes with sleep or concentration. A dermatologist can assess whether allergy or a skin condition is involved. Patch testing can help identify the cause of an allergic reaction.57