Dr. Sylvie Peres: Several types of sensitive skin exist. Some are associated with pathologies such as atopy, a chronic inflammatory skin disease due to an excessive immune response and a deficiency of the skin barrier, which is dry and porous. It is characterized by intense persistent itching, redness, and recurrent eczema-like skin lesions with microvesicles. Contact eczema is often associated with atopy but can be isolated. The microvesicular and itchy patches of eczema occur where the allergen is applied, but with a delayed onset. This happens, for example, on the neck for perfume, the navel for the nickel on a jeans button, the earlobe for earrings, etc.
What are the sensitizing factors?
These feelings of discomfort often manifest themselves due to external factors:
- physical: heat, cold, wind, friction, sun...
- chemicals: irritating cosmetics, tap water (chlorine, limescale), petrochemical detergents, pollution, tobacco, etc.
- psychological: stress, emotions...
- hormonal: menstrual cycle
The sun regulates immunity and can calm eczema, but it is drying and damages sensitive skin.
In severe resistant forms, an allergy assessment will be carried out to search for allergens.
A 3-step ritual:
To clean
Use a cold saponification soap in the shower for the body and face. Natural soaps are less aggressive and less drying than shower gels and they help rebalance the bacterial flora. Be sure to choose a superfatted soap with an organic formulation and using the cold saponification method to preserve all the benefits of vegetable oils and glycerin.
For makeup removal:
Use a vegetable oil. However, be careful to choose organic, cold-pressed virgin oils. These have a strong affinity with the epidermal cell walls and help preserve them, unlike petrochemical mineral oils. Beware of micellar water, which doesn't cleanse deeply enough and damages our hydrolipidic film.
Finally, rinsing is an essential step to protect your sensitive skin and reduce irritation. Tap water is highly irritating to the skin because it contains high levels of lime and chlorine. It therefore attacks the skin's natural barrier. It is strongly recommended to always rinse your face with high-purity spring water that is low in minerals and uncontaminated by pollution or any other external factors.
Hydrate
Moisturize your skin morning and night to calm irritation. But it's important to choose a facial treatment that's suited to your skin type—that is, a sensitive skin cream that's fragrance-free and allergen-free. So choose a moisturizer made with soothing plant oils and natural soothing and anti-inflammatory active ingredients.
Protect and correct
Protecting your skin by renewing its cellular processes is essential. It's important to create a shield to prevent your skin from facing external aggressions head-on. Don't forget sunscreen in summer, of course, but also during long winter walks or hikes in the mountains. It protects you from the elements and from drying out, so your tan will last longer and your complexion will be more radiant. Organic moisturizing masks are a great ally for sensitive skin.
In atopy, it has been shown that the skin microbiota is poor, with a preponderance of pathogenic staphylococcus on eczema plaques. We currently have few means of regulating the skin microbiota, however, it is possible to act at the intestinal level which is linked to the skin. This is also true for sensitive or intolerant skin. This will be done through probiotics and, if necessary, assessments of the intestinal flora.
Power supply side
It is advisable to limit foods that cause low-grade inflammation: red meat, gluten, sugar, lactose. More than ever, we are consuming fresh, organic, seasonal fruits and vegetables per meal. For summer, foods rich in carotenoids (carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, beets, tomatoes, microalgae chlorella and spirulina) promote the synthesis of the melanin shield. Following the seasons involves changing your diet every 6 months; this is excellent for keeping your liver in shape. It is good to favor foods rich in soothing and hydrating omega 3 "from the inside" (rapeseed oil, flax, camelina, walnuts and small oily fish like sardines and anchovies, etc.) and dried legumes (soaked 24 hours before cooking) to rebalance the microbiota and have a good intake of vitamin B.