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" Just about half of us \u2014 51 percent according to one study \u2014 think we have sensitive skin. It stings, it burns, it looks red and inflamed. And cosmetic companies have leaped to our rescue, launching countless products labeled &amp;quot;safe for sensitive skin.&amp;quot; But surprisingly, dermatologists put the real number of sensitive sufferers far lower than one in two: &amp;quot;Some where in the single-digit percentages,&amp;quot; says Neal B. Schultz, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in New York City. &amp;quot;There isn&amp;#039;t a woman alive who hasn&amp;#039;t been irritated by a product,&amp;quot; says Schultz. &amp;quot;But that doesn&amp;#039;t constitute sensitive skin.&amp;quot; So what does? Experts diagnose sensitive skin by process of elimination, ruling out other cranky-skin conditions first. Sensitive or not, read on for skin-soothing advice that won&amp;#039;t leave you red in the face. What else could it be? Allergies. &amp;quot;When a patient reacts to every product she uses, I run allergy tests,&amp;quot; says David Colbert, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in New York City. If the ingredient you&amp;#039;re allergic to is found in many skin-care products (say, yellow dye No. 5), it&amp;#039;s easy to mistake your frequent itchy, stinging reactions for skin sensitivity. &amp;quot;Doctors confuse the two, too,&amp;quot; admits Jeffrey Dover, M.D., a Boston-based dermatologist. How to tell the difference: With an allergy, even the smallest amount of that ingredient is enough to cause a reaction, whereas sensitive skin can often tolerate an irritant in low doses. Product overuse. If a little is good, then a lot must be better, right? Not true, warns Colbert. Overloading on scrubs, at-home chemical peels, and/or combining too many antiaging ingredients like AHAs and retinoids leads to self-induced sensitivity. Unlike true sensitivity, the self-induced variety is simple to fix. &amp;quot;Just stop with the products,&amp;quot; says Dover. &amp;quot;Get on a bland regimen with a gentle cleanser and basic moisturizer, and your skin will feel back to normal in as little as a week.&amp;quot; (Most dermatologists recommend the nonirritating, fragrance-free Cetaphil line.) Then slowly reintroduce scrubs (see Skin Savers for gentle options) or peels into your routine \u2014 and practice moderation. While there&amp;#039;s no guideline on how much is too much, your skin will give you clues, like sudden dryness or oiliness, heavy tingling, burning, or redness. Dry skin. A classic chicken-or-egg scenario, dry skin and sensitivity often go hand in hand. People with dry skin have poor barrier function \u2014 meaning the skin&amp;#039;s protective layer isn&amp;#039;t doing its job, leaving reactive nerve endings more vulnerable, explains Dover. Strengthen a weak barrier with a silcone-based emollient, such as Dermalogica Barrier Repair, $35, (dermalogica.com). Also look for humectants, such as lactic acid (found in Eucerin Extra Protective Moisture Lotion SPF 30, $9, eucerin.com). Underlying skin disorders. Redness and irritation can also be symptoms of rosacea. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s common for a patient to tell me she has sensitive skin,&amp;quot; says Colbert, &amp;quot;then I take a closer look and see the broken blood vessels that are associated with rosacea.&amp;quot; This condition can also be marked by acnelike bumps, swelling, and eye irritation. While there&amp;#039;s no cure, there are treatments to help clear red bumps and pimples, such as the new FDA-approved Oracea, an oral medication. 3 Things We Do Know About Sensitive Skin 1. It doesn&amp;#039;t just pop up out of the blue. &amp;quot;True sensitive skin is usually something you have had forever,&amp;quot; says Dover. 2. Flare-ups are frequent. Sensitive skin is frequently irritated by many common skin-care products. &amp;quot;The key words being frequently and common,&amp;quot; says Schultz. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s not unusual to feel a burning sensation after using a strong AHA on your skin, but if the stinging follows a gentle Lubriderm or Dove product, you might have a sensitivity problem.&amp;quot; 3. It&amp;#039;s genetic. If your mother&amp;#039;s skin is easily fired up, it&amp;#039;s likely she&amp;#039;s passed the torch to you. Not surprisingly, the same people who easily burn in the sun (those of northern European ancestry \u2014 Celtic, Scottish, Norwegian, Scandinavian) are also prone to sensitivity. But that doesn&amp;#039;t mean darker skin can&amp;#039;t be sensitive. &amp;quot;While it&amp;#039;s more common in those with fair skin and light eyes, I do see darker-skinned patients who have sensitive skin,&amp;quot; says Dover. Sensitive Skin&amp;#039;s Most-Wanted List Here are the usual suspects behind skin irritation:  Fragrance PABA Alpha hydroxy acids (including glycolic acid) Retinoids Stearic acid Alcohol Surfactants Fruit pit-based scrubs "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.redbookmag.com/beauty/makeup-skincare/tips/a1549/sensitive-issue-yl/>