Red, itchy, irritated skin can be difficult to manage without the proper skincare regimen. However, many people with self-diagnosed “sensitive skin” do not know that there are many different types of sensitive skin, and each subtype comes along with a different treatment regimen. If you’re struggling to treat your sensitive skin, keep these five tips in mind.
1. Find Your Skin Type
Of the 16 Baumann Skin Types®, half of them are classified as “sensitive.” The eight sensitive Baumann Skin Types are:
DSPT
DSNT
DSPW
DSNW
OSPT
OSNT
OSPW
OSNW
As you can see, there is more than one type of sensitive skin. Some are also oily, dry, pigmented, non-pigmented, tight, or wrinkled. All sensitive skin does have one thing in common, though, and that is inflammation. Underlying inflammation is what causes the redness, itching, and irritation that comes along with sensitive skin. Because every product you put on your skin can affect inflammation – good or bad – see a doctor who can give you the Baumann Skin Type quiz to find out your skin type.
Once you know if you are oily or dry or if you have acne, rosacea or another of the four sensitive skin subtypes, your doctor can prescribe you a customized skincare regimen that includes the correct treatment products for your skin’s specific needs.
2. Use Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients
In addition to determining your skin type and working with a knowledgeable physician, you can look for ingredients that have anti-inflammatory properties to help calm redness and irritation. One such ingredient is argan oil, which contains components like linoleic acid that give it very strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Use pure argan oil, such as PAORR (pronounced “power”) Argan Oil when your skin gets red or flakey as a natural alternative to using hydrocortisone cream.
Other anti-inflammatory ingredients great for sensitive skin include:
Green tea
Chamomile
Feverfew
Aloe vera
Evening primrose oil
Colloidal oats
3. Try a Calming Mask
Sensitive skin types need to be wary of picking just any mask they happen to see in the store, since so many ingredients can trigger an inflammatory response. A calming mask that contains ingredients like green tea, chamomile, and resveratrol can help to soothe dry, irritated skin. However, if you’re not sure if a particular product could be right for your skin, check with your doctor first to make sure you don’t aggravate it.
4. Avoid Alpha Hydroxy Acids
Hydroxy acids like glycolic acid, and lactic acid can be too irritating for some sensitive skin types, so avoid doing an at-home or in-office peel that contain these ingredients, unless otherwise instructed by your doctor. I prefer using salicylic acid for sensitive skin types because it has anti-inflammatory properties. If your skin tends to sting, avoid ingredients such as alcohol, witch hazel, and benzoic acid as.
5. Eliminate Essential Oils
Even natural and organic ingredients can bother sensitive skin. If you currently use any products that contain essential oils like eucalyptus, peppermint, and lemon, eliminate them from your routine and see if you notice an improvement in your skin
In Summary
Once you know your Baumann Skin Type and understand more about its unique characteristics, managing sensitive, inflamed skin will be much easier. If you don’t know your skin type yet, find an STS-approved physician partner near you who can administer the Baumann Skin Type® quiz and explain your customized skincare routine to you. You can also contact Dr. Baumann’s Miami office at 305-532-5552 or through our secure online contact form for more information.
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Wishing you great skin!
©2018 MetaBeauty, Inc.