What is Skin Sensitivity?

Skin sensitivity is a condition clinically characterized by sensory tension, abnormal tingling, burning, stinging, pain and itching sensations. Although it is often temporary, it can affect the person's quality of life by being accompanied by a visual dermatological response in many people. However, it is sometimes accompanied by redness and this picture can be observed on the face, scalp and hands. Its frequency is relatively high in Europe, and while approximately 40% of the population consists of individuals with skin sensitivity, it can be observed more frequently in women than in men. Since its frequency generally increases in the summer months, it is thought that sun rays may cause sensitive skin structure. Supporting this finding, skin sensitivity can be observed more in people prone to sunburn than in people with darker skin. In addition to sunlight, physiological factors such as air pollution, heat, cold, wind, as well as lifestyles such as cosmetic use, diet and alcohol consumption, stress or hormones can stimulate or worsen sensitive skin symptoms.


Do skin sensitivity and atopic skin mean the same thing?

Skin sensitivity can occur in normal individuals, as well as in skin diseases that involve facial involvement, such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and rosacea, which may be skin barrier disorders. . Some studies have found that skin sensitivity is associated with epidermis barrier dysfunction. Skin barrier integrity depends on fat content, and irregularity in intercellular fats results in deterioration of the skin barrier. In sensitive skin, neutral oil levels decrease in the skin and sphingolipid levels increase, disrupting barrier stability. Weak skin barrier allows the passage of irritating or allergenic substances, causing them to touch free nerve endings and causing water loss from the skin. Disrupted skin barrier is also associated with atopic dermatitis. Some studies have found that the frequency of atopy increases in individuals with skin sensitivity, and that those with skin sensitivity have the capacity to develop allergies 5 times more than normal people. In the light of these data, it was determined that the risk of skin sensitivity in atopic people increased and that there was 80% skin sensitivity in atopic eczema patients and 64% skin sensitivity in the control group. So as a result, skin sensitivity While it may be a symptom indicating an increased risk of epidermatitis, skin sensitivity, which may cause skin barrier impairment, may also contribute to the development of atopy if left untreated.

Skin sensitivity and atopic skin differences:

Generally, there are more than 1 million microorganisms in every square centimeter of human skin, including bacteria, fungi, mites and viruses. To maintain skin health, these microorganisms secrete antimicrobial peptides or free fatty acids that protect the skin from disease-causing microbes. However, in atopic people, with barrier impairment, these beneficial microorganisms living on the skin decrease, and staphylococcus aureus increases, resulting in lack of antimicrobial peptides, permeability to irritating or allergenic substances, and ultimately irregularity in the host immune system. Dispersion of the skin microbiome and increase in staphylococci may also play a role in atopic skin sensitivity. These disorders could not be detected in cultures taken only from the forearm, chin, inner surface of the elbow and back of people with sensitive skin. As a result of these findings, despite the phenotypic or clinical similarity to atopic dermatitis, it is thought that skin microbiota disorder does not only play a role in skin sensitivity. Moreover, severe eczema lesions, nose, eye and respiratory tract allergies, as well as positive findings in blood and skin tests are also detected in atopics.


How should skin sensitivity be treated and what should be paid attention to?

People with skin sensitivity usually do not have visible skin lesions. Disturbing symptoms include itching, tingling, burning and pain, and these significantly impair quality of life. Neurosensory symptoms are often consistent with neuropathic pain symptoms. Symptoms of skin sensitivity can be triggered by cosmetics, environmental factors such as sun, heat and wind, and hormonal factors such as the menstrual period. In most patients, symptoms begin 1 hour after contact with the triggering factor, but may last for minutes or even hours. While symptoms often occur on the face, they may sometimes appear in the trunk and genital areas. Some patients may experience widespread redness after the initial symptoms. In some cases, patchy redness, Dry skin structure and peeling develop. It is important to differentiate patients with these findings from other skin diseases such as psoriasis, atopic eczema, seborrheic oily eczema, and rosacea. The basis for treating sensitive skin structure is the local use of mild and non-irritating compounds. It is also important to avoid triggering factors. It is recommended to use moisturizing and soothing creams together in the treatment of sensitive skin. It has been found that in Japanese patients with mild acne and sensitive skin, the use of mild skin cleansers and intense moisturizers reduces acne and sensitive skin structure without irritating them. Moreover, commercial non-irritating cosmetics have been recommended for use in individuals with sensitive skin due to their beneficial moisturizing properties. If all the above measures do not provide sufficient improvement, the patient needs to be evaluated by professional dermatologists and stronger treatment and further examinations are required. Topical cortisone creams should be avoided. Because it increases sensitivity. Creams with TRPV1 feature can also be used for sensitive skin. The new local TRPV1 agonist can be used successfully in sensitive skin structure in a study involving 30 patients. Although calcineurin-suppressing pimecrolimus creams are actually used in atopic eczema, they have been used successfully in women with skin sensitivity in China when applied in 1% cream form because they target TRPV1. In another study, low-level laser and light treatments were also used successfully for skin sensitivity. It has also been shown that some oral probiotic lactobacilli (Lactobaslius paracasei/NCC2461=ST11) reduce skin sensitivity by regulating skin barrier function.

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