The characteristics of sensitive skin

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Not usually classified as a skin type, sensitive skin is rather known as a skin condition as you are not born with it.

So says Skin iD clinic owner, Sonette Donker, who lists typical sensitive characteristics as: a thinner epidermis, tightness (i.e. dehydration), stinging and burning, coupled with redness.

“This skin is ‘hot’ to the touch and in a darker skin (Fitzpatrick 4-6), you won’t necessarily see the redness but you can feel the heat. It is normally caused by your internal and external environments,” explains Donker.

One’s internal environment is governed by what you put into your body, i.e. alcohol, caffeine, medication and a lack of fresh fruit, vegetables and water intake.

External environment, on the other hand, is what we expose our skins to daily – i.e. pollution, air conditioning, central heating and skincare products containing harsh detergents or drying alcohols.

For more information on the topic of skin sensitivity, read Donker’s article on pages 20 and 21 of the September 2022 issue of the Professional Beauty magazine. Click here