Detox Your Skin

Up to 69 percent of women claim they have an easily agitated outer layer, but doctors say not all sensitivity is created equal. Yes, some of us have the real deal. The rest? We’re probably just doing too much to our complexions. Either way, use this reset plan at the first sign of redness to calm things down—and restore your radiance.

- Krista Demaio

SEE IF THIS sounds familiar: You rub on a new cream, and suddenly your face is on fire. You must have sensitive skin, right? Not necessarily. There are no real tests to diagnose it— sensitive skin is just based on a patient’s perception, says dermatologist Sandy Skotnicki, MD, author of Beyond Soap and an expert on skin allergies and irritants.

While there’s no agreed-upon clinical definition, Skotnicki says most dermatologists consider sensitive skin a complexion that’s hyperreactive to the environment: the chemicals in the products you use, the weather, the wind, or your clothing. Research has found that such skin is more common among women who have dry complexions. Some women experience increased sensitivity as they age, while others have had irritable skin for as long as they can remember. The problem may be a weak barrier (skin’s outermost layer), which can make skin prone to dryness and nerve endings more vulnerable to the sting of certain ingredients (and you may feel stinging and burning, but your complexion could look normal— something Skotnicki calls invisible irritation). In other cases, the culprit is a preexisting issue such as eczema, rosacea, or seborrheic dermatitis, a chronic flaky condition.

Still, research shows that the majority of women consider themselves sensitive. “It’s impossible for all of those people to be genetically susceptible,” says Skotnicki. “So it must be something else we’re doing.”