Cosmetic selection in the sensitive-skin patient

The incidence of sensitive skin is increasing with great rapidity in the United States and Japan. This increase may be due in part to recognition of the condition, an increase in the number of skin products used on a daily basis by persons in developed countries, and other unidentified influences. Sensitive skin may be due to enhanced immune responsiveness, altered neurosensory input, and/or diminished barrier function. Guidelines for cosmetic and skin care product selection in the sensitive-skin patient include a paucity of ingredients, a minimum of potential allergens, a reduction in cutaneous irritants, and restoration of the cutaneous barrier. This article presents a thought pattern for addressing cosmetics issues in the sensitive-skin patient.