Soothing effect dedicated to sensitive skin

The concept of sensitive skin has been a topic of news for more than 30 years for formulators form the cosmetic industry. Skin irritation, sometimes confused with allergic skin, results in redness, flaking, vesicles.  Sensitive skin is often associated with a consumer’s feelings.  Since the 1990s there has been an evolution in the understanding of this skin mechanism in Europe that has led to the development of products specifically oriented towards this type of skin. The contribution of academic research in the fields of cutaneous innervation, intercellular communication, proteomics or genomics has made it possible to better understand this skin and to develop products that are always more adapted and targeted. Three mechanisms have been identified as potentially involved in the physiology of sensitive skin. They are: 

In fact, the loss of the skin barrier function causes a decrease in the protection of the cutaneous nerve fibres and exposes them to the external environment. The density of nerve fibres present in the skin can also play a role. Finally, neuronal hyperactivity is explained by the presence of receptors that no longer protect, but induce sensations of pain, warmth and itching in the skin’s sensitive nerve fibres. 

Thus, sensitive skin can affect all periods of life, ranging from infants to seniors. Babies are particularly prone to redness and irritation due to their still immature skin barrier. They have a lower hydrolipidic film, a thin dermis, a more permeable skin and almost non-existent protection against the sun and the heat. The skin of teenagers may also have a certain sensitivity because of aggressive cleansers used, leaving the skin hypersensitive. For mature skins, these are particularly vulnerable to external aggression. The activity of the sebaceous glands slows over the years and the skin becomes thinner and more dehydrated.