What Are the Different Types of Treatments for Sensitive Skin?

Treatments for sensitive skin range from elements of daily skin care to healing an occurrence of inflammation or reaction. Carefully selecting products that do not contain irritants that cause inflammation, redness, roughness, or dryness is essential in avoiding sensitive skin to begin with. Other treatments for sensitive skin are reactionary and are intended to be utilized after irritation has already occurred. These efforts can include giving skin a rest from makeup or switching to all-natural products.

Treating sensitive skin usually means learning how to deal with it on a day-to-day basis and how to avoid products that can cause unpleasant reactions. Avoiding irritants is not always easy, but certainly possible. Common irritants include smoke, wind, excessively cold or hot air or water, and chemicals. Keeping away from cigarettes is usually helpful, as is bundling up in a scarf to protect delicate facial skin from chapping in harsh winds. Always wash with tepid water to avoid drying out the skin, and be sure to stay well hydrated and eat a wholesome diet to keep skin healthy from the inside.

Staying clear of obvious chemicals such as household cleaners is another of the basic treatments for sensitive skin, but it is not always so easy to avoid them in skincare products. Choosing cleansers and moisturizers that are hypoallergenic and paraben-free is a good start, as this will usually mean that there are less harsh and irritating ingredients in the formula. It is also wise to avoid formulas that contain strong fragrances, artificial colorings, or some acne-fighting ingredients. All of these additions can potentially cause sensitive skin to become irritated, leaving it ruddy and inflamed.

If an instance of irritation occurs, there are treatments for sensitive skin that will help heal the problem and prevent it from happening again. First, try to pinpoint the product or irritant that caused the negative reaction. Anything from a new cleanser, make-up product, food item, or environmental irritant could be the culprit. Once it is identified, do not use the product, eat the food, or become exposed to that irritant again.

When a product is the culprit, treatments for sensitive skin are fairly simple. Give skin a rest from makeup and other skin care products until irritation subsides, cleansing only with tepid water. If the skin feels heated or stings, cover it with a cool, damp cloth. Persistence of these symptoms may indicate that a more serious allergic reaction could be at fault and may require medical attention. It is also advisable to consider switching to homemade or all-natural products that are free of the chemicals that often irritate sensitive skin.