What Is A Skin Allergy?

Simply put, it’s when your immune system goes nuts and overreacts to a specific trigger or allergen. Not to be confused with skin sensitivity.

It’s common these days to hear people say their skin is sensitive or allergic. You can even make a case that “sensitive” is the new normal.

But according to Dr Low Chai Ling, medical director of aesthetic clinic SW1 Clinic, these terms are often wrongly conflated.

“They have slightly different meanings. ‘Allergic’ does not describe a skin type. You can be allergic to a particular substance like paracetamol. Some patients have normal skin but are allergic to one ingredient alone, say glycolic acid.”