Shopping for Sensitive Skin: A Guide for the Acne and Rosacea Conscious

Acne and rosacea patients take note- you must know about proper skin-care and cosmetic usage to successfully manage your sensitive skin. This is the counsel of Dr. Diane Berson, who runs a dermatology practice in New York City.

A critical step in reducing skin sensitivity is understanding the importance of the stratum corneum. The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the skin and is composed of dead, flat skin cells held together by the protein keratin. This skin barrier prevents molecules from passing into and out of the skin and thereby protects the lower layers of skin while reducing skin sensitivity.

Healthy, uninjured skin is more effective at preventing skin irritations that may result from using cosmetics and skin care products. Individuals with altered nerve endings or more neurotransmitters under their skin are more susceptible to minor skin irritants in cosmetics and skin care products. When the skin is excessively dry or damaged, it cannot adequately protect these nerve endings. Sound moisturizing and a strong immune system help minimize possible skin irritants.

Some of Dr. Berson's recommendations for caring for sensitive skin include:

Selecting mild cleansers. Use mild cleansing agents that have synthetic detergents or lipid-free cleansers. Resist using abrasive cleansers since they can cause microscopic tears in the skin and damage the protective layers of the skin.

Rosacea patients should not use alcohol-based products such as toners or astringents.

Acne patients will benefit from toners that contain salicylic acid or alpha hydroxy acid. However, when starting a retinoid treatment, temporarily discontinue using a toner or astringent since the combination may make the retinoid more irritating. Acne patients must also limit or abstain from excessively rough cleansing and washing. Julie Harper, M.D., who directs a clinic to treat acne at the University of Alabama at Birmingham laments, "Teenagers think they have acne because they do not wash enough, but usually they are washing too often with harsh scrubs that make their symptoms worse."

Using moisturizers. Tracy L. Grosick, a key skin care product researcher with Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati says that when the skin's moisture barrier is intact, it helps the skin to combat environmental attacks that are encountered on a daily basis. When acne and rosacea patients are using treatments that dry the skin, moisturizers may improve the skin's barrier function. Dr. Benson recommends using moisturizers with the least amount of ingredients.

Rosacea patients should choose a moisturizer with only glycerin, petrolatum, or aloe vera, which might be anti-inflammatory.

Acne patients should also stick with products containing the least amount of ingredients.

Using noncomedogenic sunscreens. Rosacea patients need to use a physical-blocking products containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide because these ingredients will not irritate red, inflamed skin and will provide optimal protection.

Acne patients with oily skin should use noncomedogenic, non-pore clogging, products. Select an alcohol-based or gel-based sunscreen.

Preservatives. The best preservatives for sensitive skin are those containing parabens like methyl paraben and butyl paraben.

The key to keeping sensitive skin less susceptible to irritation is ensuring the integrity of your stratum corneum, the skin's primary defensive barrier. You can start by using a minimalist moisturizer, and noncomedogenic sunscreen.

Sources:

American Academy of Dermatology (Newswise.com)

Dermatology Times. Patricia Reiman. Alleviating sensitivity: Study finds moisturizers with niacinamide make skin more resilient. March 1, 2004 Dermatology Times. Cheryl Guttman. Sensitive skin valid patient problem. May 1, 2002.

E Skin and Allergy News. Timothy F. Kirn. Lifestyle, Cosmetics Integral to Acne, Rosacea Tx. August 2003.

Naweko San-Joyz writes health and beauty articles from her home in San Diego. She recently published "Acne Messages: Crack the code of your zits and say goodbye to acne" (ISBN: 0974912204). Naweko is presently working on title called "Skinny Fat Girls, Why we're still not getting this diet thing" (ISBN: 0974912212) for release in May of 2005. To challenge and verify her research, San-Joyz trains for figure competitions.

---

Accutane Without The Ouch

Since 1982 Accutane has been a reliable, if not controversial,... Read More

Emotionally Dealing with Acne

It is a fact that nearly 17 million people in... Read More

Simple and Effective Ways to Control Acne

Acne control include unclogging the pores of the skin, destroying... Read More

7 Ways To Conquer Acne

Reports show that over 90 percent of all... Read More

The Best Acne Treatments

The best acne treatments may be the ones that help... Read More

Busting Acne Myths Requires Individualized Treatment and More Research

If you have acne, you know the deal- everybody has... Read More

Do Roasted Peanuts Cause Acne?

Many people wonder what the active cause for acne to... Read More

Some Healthy Ways to Fight Acne

Acne is a major concern for most of the teenagers.... Read More

The Wonders of Green Tea- It can Help With Acne Care

Green tea is the most consumed beverage in the world,... Read More

Acne Scars ? Cause, Prevention and Treatment

Acne affects as much as 80% of teenagers and others... Read More

Solutions to Rosacea & Acne Rosacea - Treatments That Eradicate the Redness

Rosacea, or acne rosacea, is clinically defined as a chronic... Read More

Acne Program ? Step 9 Protein and Other Food to Eat

Eating the right kind of food is what can give... Read More

Acne Care for Adults

Roughly 20% of acne cases being treated in the United... Read More

Acne Scar Treatment

Acne scars develop after severe cases or when the acne... Read More

Lets Dispel Some Acne Myths

It is the bane of a person's existence. Everybody gets... Read More

Conquering Your Acne - A Few Helpful Tips

Acne is the all-encompassing term that refers to blemishes, blackheads,... Read More

Help! I Need Acne Skin Care Products!

If you suffer from acne, you may need acne skin... Read More

Which are the Best Acne Treatments? It Depends

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but... Read More

Acne Can Be A Problem At Any Age

Adult, teenage and baby acne have something in common; no... Read More

Acne Scar Treatment and Removal

Beautiful skin, without acne scars, is every woman's dream (and... Read More

Take Advantage of Natural Acne Treatments

Let's face it. Nobody is really immune to having acne... Read More

The Hows and Whys of Acne

A few simple steps occur that cause skin blemishes. First,... Read More

What?s The Best Way To Remove Blackheads?

Blackheads are the slightly different sibling of zits, and like... Read More

The Truth About Acne Skin Care

Let's face it, you are engaged in an ongoing battle... Read More

Acne: Diminished Self-confidence in Teens - You Can Get Rid of Acne Effectively with NO Scarring

Acne refers to a skin condition where pores on the... Read More

Slash Your Acne Supplement Expenses with Food

Twenty-one year old Lydia Garcia faces an imminent dilemma- poverty... Read More

How To Alleviate Your Acne Problem

Acne brings huge problems to teenagers. Teenagers who have acne... Read More

War of the P Acnes

While "War of the Worlds" sets a new sales record... Read More

Control Your Acne With Effective Acne Treatments

Acne is not a problem confined to adolescence; in fact,... Read More

Herbal and Other Treatments as a Cure for Acne

The best acne cures are often at your fingertips.Instead of... Read More

Beware of Acne Cyst! Take the Precautions Necessary

People are exposed in many elements outside and inside their... Read More

An Acne Home Remedy Does Exist, Will It Work For You?

Have you tried an acne home remedy? There are an... Read More

Information on How to Treat Adult Acne

Although most teenagers get some form of acne, adults in... Read More