The Sensitive Person’s Guide to Handling Criticism

Has this ever happened to you?

You’re happily going about your day when, out of nowhere, someone criticizes something you say or do. Suddenly you lose focus and can’t stop thinking about what they said or wrote. You know you shouldn’t be bothered, but knowing doesn’t help you stop thinking about it over and over and over.
In the past I have spent hours, days even, thinking about even the smallest of critical comments. It still happens to me every so often, but for the most part I have learned how to effectively handle it. I guess you could say I am a sensitive person, and truth be told I don’t think there is anything wrong with this for the most part. However, being sensitive to criticism is a major problem if it causes you to lose focus on important tasks or makes you stop acting in a certain manner due to fear of being criticized.
Since putting myself “out there”, in particular with my blogging, I have had to implement a number of strategies for dealing with criticism. And for the most part these strategies have worked well. That is not to say I don’t still feel the sting of criticism, but for the most part I don’t let it hijack my thoughts or stop me from acting in my normal manner.

Understanding Criticism

To effectively deal with criticism, it is important to first understand that there are different types of, and reasons for, critical comments.

It is not always about you. The truth is, there are some angry, jealous and insecure people in the world who are critical because… well…. that’s just the way they are. That’s not to say that sometimes they are not critical for good reasons, but other times it is just a case of you being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It is inevitable. Recently I read how Drew Barrymore was criticized by some people after donating $1,000,000 to charity. To me, this just shows that when it comes to how we act or what we say often we are caught in a Catch 22. That is, we are damned if we do and damned if we don’t.

It may be justified. We each have our imperfections, and this means that sometimes we do something wrong or say something stupid. When this happens, any criticism we receive may be well justified.

How to Handle Criticism

We now know that not all criticism is the same. The key is to be aware of what type of criticism you are receiving and then act accordingly. The following are some strategies that I find to be effective:

Don’t take it personally. As I mentioned earlier, sometimes criticism has very little to do with you and a lot to do with the other person’s own insecurities, anger or unique way of seeing the world. If someone makes a nasty personal attack on you, there is a good chance that it is actually them that has the problem. At the other end of the spectrum, if someone criticizes you in a constructive manner don’t let your own pride get in the way of hearing what they have to say.

Learn. Sometimes there is good reason for people to be critical of what we say or do. So if you are criticized for whatever reason, try to be open-minded about it. Perhaps even welcome it by expressing gratitude to your critic. It may not be nice to hear criticism, but such feedback is often a part of the learning process and can provide us with valuable insights into how we can improve and grow as a person.

Toughen up. As I said before, I don’t necessarily think it is bad to be sensitive. But if criticism regularly hijacks your thoughts, it could be time to toughen up and grow a thicker skin. In my opinion, the best way to do this is with an inside-out approach. By this I mean don’t just pretend to be tougher. Instead, take the time to work on your self-esteem so that you hold greater confidence in your abilities and ideas.

Be assertive. If you feel that the criticism you receive is unjustified, I suggest you respond courteously, but assertively. This may be difficult, particularly if the other person is your senior. But it is generally not a good idea to “bottle up” your feelings as this is what can leave you dwelling on criticism for hours or even days.

Do it anyway. Perhaps the most important point in this article is: don’t change the way you act or the things you say simply to avoid criticism. Remember, criticism is usually inevitable. And it may just be an indication that you have taken a risk and chosen to tackle something which is a challenge to you.

 

Skin Care Tips

Gentle Skin Care Recipes for Sensitive Skin

These natural skin care tips for sensitive skin will show you how to care for your skin simply and affordably using natural and hypoallergenic ingredients that you can find in your kitchen!

When you are trying something new, I recommend that you only try one new tip each day, so that you can see how your skin reacts.

Sensitive skin care is a dance between you and your skin. You make a move, then you see how your skin responds. Based on that response, you then make another move!

Skin Care Tips - Cleansing Your Skin Gently

If you have sensitive skin, it is important that you avoid using most bar soaps on your face, which can be drying and irritating. Even those 'face and body' bars which are supposed to be very moisturizing can cause a skin outbreak. The few times I've had to use bar soaps on my face always ended up the same, with pain, redness, and me looking like a strawberry!

If you have really hyper sensitive skin, and nothing seems to work for you, I recommend you start by simply cleansing your face with water. Water is one of those skin care tips that is hard to go wrong with!

I also recommend drinking plenty of water each day ... you'll be surprised just how effective that can be in clearing up your skin! 

Water does an amazing job and does not need a lot of extra help. Then, when your skin calms down a bit, you may want to try a good hypoallergenic skin care product for facial cleansing.

There are different approaches to sensitive skin care, and you will have to see what works for you. Some skin care tips shared by experts in the filed recommend always using a cleansing skin care product and they feel that you should never cleanse the face with water. They believe that the chemicals or minerals in the water can be drying. You will have to try this out for yourself to see what works for your skin.

If you live in a dry climate you may find that washing your face with just water is drying for your skin. In that case I highly recommend using a professional skin care products that are made for sensitive skin.

Another reason to use hypoallergenic skin care products to cleanse your face is if you wear hypoallergenic makeup and need some extra help cleansing the makeup off of your face.

There are also people with oily skin who get blackheads and need help with a deeper cleansing of their skin to avoid a buildup on the face. See our page on acne sensitive skin care for more acne skin care tips.

When my skin is really acting up, I will share with you one of my VERY favorite skin care tips. This simple, natural skin care recipe that works incredibly well for me - yogurt! I use organic, full fat yogurt, and after cleansing my face with water, I apply the yogurt, leave it on for a few minutes and wash off. My skin looks and feels clean, smooth and radiant. The lactic acid in the yogurt acts as a mild exfoliant but does not cause irritation.

When your skin is ready to try some new sensitive skin care products, first check the label and make sure that the ingredients in your facial cleanser are non-toxic. I like this brand of hypoallergenic facial cleanser which is gentle, non-foaming, and provides moisture as well as gently cleansing.

Skin Care Tips - Toners for your Sensitive Skin

Some skin care tips shared by experts recommend you always use a toner for sensitive skin after you cleanse your skin, to complete the cleansing process and to close the pores and begin the moisturizing process. Others experts feel that simply splashing cold water on your face is enough to close the pores and prepare the skin to be moisturized. 

I have tried both methods, and splashing cold water is in some ways is the perfect toner for sensitive skin. It is simple and affordable, though not as luxurious as applying a really nice facial toner, which provides extra cleansing and moisturizing benefits.

Using toner for sensitive skin was a challenge for me, because I found that my skin erupted when used many brands, even the really nice, organic, non-toxic products. Some brands even stung my eyes so badly I was afraid I'd need to go to the hospital!

After extensive research and reading hundreds of skin care tips I finally found a gentle hypoallergenic toner for sensitive skin with no botanicals and with safe ingredients. It sprays on and does not sting, and leaves my face feeling soft and refreshed. It is also surprising affordable, the bottle lasts six months to a year depending on how frequently you use it. 

You can also try using homemade toner for sensitive skin, to see how your skin likes them. I love trying out new skin care recipes! I've listed a few here that you can look through.

First though, I have to say that even though these are all natural ingredients, they MAY be too strong for your sensitive skin.

 

One of our most important skin care tips for sensitive skin is to ALWAYS do a skin test first, on the inside of your arm before using any new product for your face, whether it is one that you buy, or a homemade skin care recipe.

The benefit using of a toner for sensitive skin that you make yourself is that you can control the ingredients and try one at a time, to see which ones do or don't work for your skin. Most of these you will already have in your kitchen!

Cider Vinegar Toner - One of the great and simple natural skin care tips, passed down through the generations. This one is great for normal or oily skin. Mix 3 parts pure water to one part natural cider vinegar and splash on the face.

If this is too strong for you, dilute with more water. This is affordable, and can be a great acne treatment for sensitive skin.

Apple cider vinegar restores the natural ph of your skin. The only downside is that really good, organic apple cider vinegar smells very strong! After using a cider vinegar toner, you can splash your face with cold water to wash off the smell.

Aloe Vera Toner - mix a little aloe vera gel with some water, or put in a blender until it is well mixed. This is very soothing as long as you are not allergic to aloe vera. It works well for men after shaving or for women after using tweezers to remove unwanted facial hair.

Lemon Toner - squeeze a little lemon juice into a few ounces of water and pat on your face with a facecloth. Keep away from your eyes! Lemon is astringent and if used every day can help lighten age spots. Also, the vitamin C in lemon is great for the skin.

These next few homemade toners for sensitive skin use herbal teas. Because they use just one ingredient, you'll be able to see how your skin reacts. If you are salicylate sensitive or allergic to herbs or botanicals then I recommend that you avoid using herbal teas.

Green Tea Toner - Steep a green tea bag in a cup of hot water for a few minutes. Cool or add an ice cube and splash on face. Cooling and soothing and energizing! The used tea bag can also be used to apply to the face. Green tea is filled with antioxidant properties that are healing to the skin.

Yerba Mate Toner - Steep a yerba tea bag in a cup of hot water for a few minutes. Cool or add an ice cube and splash on your face. Yerba mate tea is used a base for medicinal herbal preparations in South America and has an abundant supply of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants .. almost all of the nutrients needed to sustain life. It is energizing for the whole body.

Peppermint and Lemon Toner - Make a cup of peppermint tea by adding one tea bag to a cup of hot water. Steep for a few minutes, cool or add ice cubes and a drop of lemon. Very cooling, refreshing and astringent!

Skin Care Tips - Moisturizing Your Sensitive Skin

Unless you live in a tropical rainforest, your sensitive skin care needs some help each day to maintain proper moisture levels, and to be able to stay elastic and smooth and avoid premature aging. Some people with sensitive skin have trouble finding sensitive skin moisturizers that work well and that also do not aggravate their skin. 

If even the hypoallergenic moisturizer that you are using is not causing your face to break out, you may want to try finding products that not only chemically safe but also that do not contain herbs or botanicals. I've only found one line of hypoallergenic products that are both chemically safe AND botanical free.

Another approach if you have really hyper sensitive skin is to try using one ingredient at a time, instead of a formulation. This approach is limited because no one ingredient is the absolute best moisturizer for sensitive skin, but it can be a start if you're having trouble finding something that works.

Like all new products you place on your skin, test behind your ear or on your forearm first! Here are a few natural skin care recipes that use just one ingredient.

Shea butter is a fantastic skin care tip which few people know about. It is very moisturizing and not greasy unless you use too much of it. A little goes a long way. Shea butter is one of the ingredients in my favorite moisturizer for sensitive skin . 

Unrefined, cold pressed avocado oil is relatively feels very nourishing on the skin and is soothing for sensitive skin. You might find it a bit too greasy for your face, even though it is less greasy than most natural oils.

I like to use avocado oil on my body, especially before bed. It feels very nourishing, and when you wake up your skin will be so soft! Avocado oil is one of the natural sensitive skin moisturizers that may even work for you if your skin is having an outbreak.

Once your skin outbreak has calmed down, try to find a gentler skin care product that is specially formulated for very sensitive skin. I find the best moisturizer for sensitive skin is also one of the most affordable.

Skin Care Tips - Exfoliating Your Sensitive Skin

Exfoliating is one of the great challenges of sensitive skin care. Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin cells from your skin which allows new skin cells to come forward. This more deeply cleanses the face which is exposed to the sun, to pollution and to either your makeup or your shave once each day.

Even though exfoliating your skin is very helpful, it can also cause more problems that it solves if you have sensitive skin! This depends entirely on how you do it.

You can use mechanical exfoliation, or chemical exfoliation treatments. Mechanical exfoliation includes using a skin brush or an abrasive material. Chemical exfoliation uses acidic products to peel the skin. Over the counter exfoliating products usually contain AHA or BHA. I don't recommend using chemical exfoliation if you have sensitive skin, unless you already know for sure that you can tolerate it!

In terms of mechanical exfoliation, you will have to experiment gently to see what works for your skin. Don't try anything new except your exfoliation treatment, in order to see the results more clearly.

In your travels you might see some exfoliating skin care products which use small plastic beads to exfoliate your skin, which they say is less irritating than natural abrasives. This is one of those skin care tips which sounds good until you look deeper into the issue. 

These plastic beads do not biodegrade and end up in our Earth's rivers and oceans. The small plastic beads get stuck in the digestive tracts of the animals who have swallowed them. Who knows what they do to our bodies! Please, for the sake of your own health and that of the Earth and her inhabitants, do not use sensitive skin exfoliators that contain plastic beads!

If you've got sensitive skin, how can you exfoliate gently? I personally find even using a facecloth that is too scratchy can irritate my face! Here are some of my favorite natural skin care tips to exfoliate your face. You'll have to experiment to see whether your skin can tolerate the abrasive action.

Yogurt - This seems to be the gentlest of all the natural skin recipes I've found. Simply apply a tablespoon of organic, full fat plain yogurt to your face. Let it sit for a few minutes and rinse off. Your skin will be radiant and refreshed because the lactic acid provides gentle exfoliation.

Ground oatmeal - grind up some rolled oats in your coffee grinder, mix with a little water and apply and gently rub onto the face. Very nice and gentle. More skin care tips -- ground oatmeal can be blended with yogurt or milk adds a gentle, soothing cleansing action.

These next natural skin care recipes provide mechanical abrasion so please go very slowly and be sure to test first on your inner arm or behind the ear.

Ground almonds - good for dry skin, but be careful and go slowly and be sure they are ground up really fine. This is simple to make by grinding organic almonds in your coffee grinder or blender. The almond oil provides moisture for dry skin. If you don't have almonds on hand, try sunflower seeds. This produces a really nice, soft, buttery scrub.

Ground barley - grind in your food processor and mix with avocado oil or your favorite hypoallergenic facial cleanser. Once again, go slowly.

Sugar Scrub - Very simple, simply add a little granulated sugar to your favorite facial cleanser, cream or cold pressed oil. Has a nice brightening effect. Some people like using brown sugar which smells nice. I have never used this, as I don't eat sugar, but many people love it.

Sea salt body scrub - I recommend you use these for your body rather than your facial exfoliation. You can apply sea salt with some oil or a good moisturizer. Go very slowly and gently, use for 30 seconds to one minute at the most. Use a finely ground salt. Salt can be irritating if you scrub too hard or leave on too long, but also feels refreshing and energizing.

Coconut oil and cornmeal - A good body scrub. Mix together and rub slowly and gently onto the skin.

I've experimented with many kinds of natural exfoliants for sensitive skin, but I still found many of them a bit rough for my skin.

Then I started trying a few select hypoallergenic exfoliants, which were less abrasive but caused my face to break out!

I finally found a botanical free, chemically safe hypoallergenic Exfolating Scrub for sensitive skin which is quite remarkable. It does not irritate or dry and leaves the skin moist, soft and very smooth. It will remove dead skin cells and unclog pores, without causing a rash. It has cleared up the occasional blackheads that would develop during those times when I couldn't find a good skin cleanser!

Skin Care Tips - Facial Masks for Sensitive Skin

A facial mask for sensitive skin is a great way to pamper yourself and give your skin a little extra nourishment. Most skin care tips about facial masks require that you leave them on for ten to twenty minutes, so they are also a good way to make sure you take a short rest lie down for at least a few minutes!

When you have sensitive skin, it can be a challenge to find a facial mask for sensitive skin that does not cause irritation or breakouts. I am still working on finding the right facial mask for my sensitive skin! Here are some natural skin care tips I've learned that you may find helpful.

Avocado Facial Mask - Mmmmm, this one is so wonderfully creamy, nourishing and healing for the skin. I personally love to eat avocados so it is difficult for me to part with one long enough to put it on my face! 

Yogurt Facial Mask - Very gentle, cooling and soothing especially if you have irritated skin. Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria and lactic acid which can gently exfoliate as well as nourish your skin.

Egg White and Oatmeal Facial Mask - is gentle and moisturizing for sensitive skin. Mix an egg white with some ground oatmeal until it makes a paste you can apply to your face.

Bananas and Honey Facial Mask - Mix a very ripe banana with a touch of honey and a few drops of fresh lemon or orange juice. Apply to face for 15 minutes. Gentle and fantastic for oily skin.

Energizing Coffee Facial Mask - A very unique facial mask using 1/4 teaspoon ground coffee mixed with a tablespoon of yogurt or honey. Bled together and apply to your face, and leave on for not more than 5 minutes. Very energizing and refreshing for the skin but use just a little coffee as the caffeine is absorbed into your bloodstream. I actually use this as a medicinal facial when I have a headache. The small amount of caffeine eases the pain so I don't need to take Excedrin! :-)

Another very effective facial mask for sensitive skin uses kaolin or French clay. This can be messy to mix yourself but there are hypoallergenic products available which have no irritating ingredients. I use a facial mask for sensitive skin which does wonders for my skin if I leave it on for no more than fifteen minutes. If I leave it on for longer, my face will sometimes get red. My skin emerges from this facial mask glowing and completely cleansed, with the pores tightened and all blackheads gone!

Sensitive Teeth

Sharp, sudden discomfort in one or more teeth, shooting down into the nerve endings of the tooth, can be triggered by heat, cold, and sweet or sour food or drink, or even by breathing cold air, sensitive teeth HURT.  Tooth sensitivity occurs when dentin, the underlying layer of your teeth, becomes exposed as a result of receding gum tissue.  The roots, which are not covered by hard enamel, contain thousands of tiny holes that lead to the tooth's nerve center (the pulp). These holes allow the hot, cold, or sweet food - to reach the nerves in your teeth, resulting in the pain you feel.

Multiple factors lead to the development of tooth sensitivity.  Over time, if you brush too hard, or use very hard-bristled toothbrushes, you can wear down the enamel, and cause the dentin to be exposed.  It can also cause the gums to recede, allowing the porous dentin to be exposed.  Periodontal disease can cause gums to recede, and expose the sensitive root area.

Cracked, chipped, or broken teeth may fill with bacteria rich plaque, enters the pulp, and cause pain and inflammation.

Teeth grinding can wear down the enamel on teeth, and expose the dentin.
Teeth whitening products or toothpaste with baking soda or peroxide are major causes of teeth sensitivity.
As we age, our enamel gradually wears away, and results in sensitivity of teeth.  The presence of plaque on the root surfaces causes sensitivity, as does the long term use of acidic mouth washes.  Eating high acid foods and drinks can contribute to teeth sensitivity, and routine dental procedures, like cleaning, can cause temporary sensitivity.

Home Remedies for Sensitive Teeth:

Brushing:

Brush regularly, with desensitizing toothpaste, and a soft toothbrush, and floss properly.  After brushing, before going to bed, use a cotton swab to apply a thin layer of plain, fluoridated toothpaste.  Watch what you eat.  Highly acidic foods gradually dissolve tooth enamel, leading to dentin exposure and sensitive teeth.   Hypericum, which is commonly known as St. John's Wort, is used herbally for depression and mood swings, but is used homeopathically for any nerve injury or pain.

Echinacea:

Echinacea three times a day in a little juice with 1/2 teaspoon of powdered vitamin C acts as a strong herbal antibiotic to kill any infection in her tooth.  Drinking thyme or sage tea, not only eliminates bad breath, but also disinfects the mouth, and acts as an antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal treatment for the mouth.

Aloe Vera:

Rinsing with aloe vera gel, and applying aloe vera gel to the inflamed areas daily helps ease the inflammation and tooth sensitivity.
 

Heal Sensitive Skin, Naturally

According to a recent survey, 70 percent of women feel they have sensitive skin. There is no question we've seen a dramatic increase in this skin type over the past several years. But what exactly is sensitive skin?

Is This You?
Sensitive skin is not a medical condition. Rather it's a subjective description of a skin type. Sensitive skin is generally defined as easily irritated skin. Sensitive skin can become red, flushed, inflamed, dry, and/or itchy. An individual with sensitive skin will often experience wind or sunburn more quickly and sometimes have allergic reactions to skin care products and make up. The pores and texture of the skin are fine and with some people the blood vessels and capillaries are visible on the skin's surface. To find out if you have sensitive skin, take the quiz at the end of this article.

The reason people develop sensitive skin is because the epidermis (outer layer) becomes impaired. The skin's outer layer protects us from a wide variety of outside assaults. If the barrier function of our skin becomes compromised, irritants can penetrate it and disrupt nerve endings and blood vessels. This compromised layer also causes water loss that can lead to dehydrated skin, which causes further irritation. External skin irritants can come from the environment (pollution, wind, climate) or from the products we use on our skin (cleansers, creams, make up). Heavily scented products are especially irritating. Even municipal water can irritate the skin.

There is a spectrum of skin sensitivity that ranges from mild irritation to severe rosacea. Rosacea is a sensitive skin condition that causes inflammation of the small blood vessels in the capillaries of the face. One of the first tell-tale signs of rosacea is a red rash primarily on the nose and cheeks. People with rosacea can also experience bumps that resemble classic acne on their cheeks and nose. If left untreated, rosacea can progress to include a bulbous nose, similar to W.C. Fields. It is estimated that about 14 million Americans have rosacea. Unfortunately, a recent Gallup survey found that 78 percent of Americans don't know what rosacea is, how to recognize it, or how to treat it. Proper diagnosis is critical so be sure to see your doctor if you feel you may have rosacea.

Why Me?
Accurately identifying sensitive skin can be difficult because there are so many factors influencing it. Our skin type can also fluctuate. Key issues that help determine our skin type include: 
* hormonal activity = specifically menstruation, menopause, pregnancy
* weather =dry, humid, cold, or hot
* stress levels =high stress typically makes skin conditions worsen
* diet = avoid foods that trigger allergic reactions
* lifestyle = exercise frequently and don't smoke
* sun exposure = too much sun can be especially damaging to those with sensitive skin
* genetics = if your mother has sensitive skin, it is likely you will too
* medications = some prescription drugs such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory agents, and diuretics can make your skin more prone to sun burn and skin sensitivities
 Having sensitive skin can be troublesome and hard to manage. To heal sensitive skin naturally, use nontoxic, specially formulated skin care products.

What Now?
It's absolutely critical that people with sensitive skin avoid skin care products that contain toxic ingredients including phthalates, parabens, chemical fragrances, artificial colors, propylene glycol, EDTA, and ureas.

The goals of an effective sensitive skin care routine are three-fold: 
1. re-establish, strengthen, and protect the barrier function of the outer layer of the skin
2. ease inflammation and soothe irritated nerve endings and blood vessels
3. consistently moisturize and hydrate the skin to regain the skin's balance
 If you have sensitive skin, test all new skin care products on a small part of your skin before using it liberally. People with sensitive skin need to be vigilant about the ingredients in their skin care products, much more so than the average individual. Even natural fruit pulps and peels should be avoided until the skin becomes more balanced.

The specialized sensitive skin care protocol offered by MyChelle is specifically designed with the previously mentioned goals in mind. This is a four-step approach that includes the following:

Step One = cleanse in the morning and evening. Choose Unscented Honeydew Cleanser <http://www.mychelle.com/honeydewcleanserunscented-21oz-new.aspx>  because it lubricates, moisturizes, and replenishes the barrier function. This product contains natural melon fruit extract to enhance the skin's immunity, honey because it's a natural antibacterial and antifungal, and other bioactive healing ingredients.
 
Step Two = use serums in the morning and evening. Choose Ultra Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum and/or Capillary Calming Serum. Use Ultra Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum first because it contains squalane from Spanish olives, organic rose hip seed extract and other bioactive ingredients for optimum moisturizing and moisture retention. Then layer with Capillary Calming Serum for relief of redness. Capillary Calming Serum contains specialized extracts and nutrients to ease inflammation, improve circulation, and remove toxins.

Step Three = mist throughout the day. Fruit Enzyme Mist helps ease inflammation while keeping the skin hydrated. This product contains heavy water, a unique natural water from deep in the ocean that has intense hydrating properties. This mist also contains pectin (fruit enzymes), which are great for exfoliating dead skin cells, sodium hyaluronate to prevent water loss, and other ingredients to help strengthen the skin.
 
Step Four = use a nourishing cream in the morning and evening. Unscented Deep Repair Cream contains highly therapeutic nontoxic ingredients such as Kambuchka TM and Venucean TM to heal the skin. It also contains Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), oils from goji berry, black currant, and rapeseed, as well as other nutrients to assist with cellular repair and help strengthen the barrier function of the skin.
 
Natural Relief
By using a comprehensive skincare routine, you can heal sensitive skin. The products you use on your skin are absolutely critical. Bioactive ingredients for sensitive skin types represent the best of nature and science. The simple four-step approach described will help ensure the success of your sensitive skin regimen.

Sensitive skin is a common affliction, with around 50% of women and 40% of men suffering from it. However, dermatologists have specific criteria in defining sensitive skin; even the tendency to blush can be a sign of sensitive skin. People can develop sensitive skin from certain skin care or household products. There are additional causes and we will explore these in this article.

Irritant Contact Dermatitis?

Do you work in conditions that leave your hands exposed to chemical irritants? Do you wash your dishes by hand, without wearing dish washing gloves? Is your skin naturally dry and pale? Has your skin developed a painful rash? Does this rash have blisters and swelling? Is your skin cracking? Have you been trying out a new makeup that has resulted in facial redness?
If you have answered 'yes' to the majority of these questions, then you probably have Irritant Contact Dermatitis.
Treatment: The first thing you will need to do is discover what is causing the irritation. If you perform a job handling chemicals or fiberglass, then this is the most likely irritant. Other causes are makeup, dish washing detergent, rubber gloves, and cold dry air.
Once you have established what is causing the irritation, you will need to either restrict contact with it or completely remove all contact. To get rid of the existing rash, ointments and creams can be applied to the skin. These include topical creams, emollient creams, and antibiotic ointments.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis?

Has your skin become irritated quickly within a few hours? Have you worn latex gloves lately, or other latex material? Is the irritation localized to one specific region? Does the irritated skin appear red, swollen, blistered, dry, or bumpy?
If you have answered 'yes' to the majority of these questions, you most likely have allergic contact dermatitis.
Treatment: The first thing that you will need to do is determine the cause of the irritation. The most likely cause of this type of irritation is latex. To treat the rash you will need to apply specific creams or ointments. The most common types of creams include emollient creams and topical steroids. For more severe cases, oral steroids will be administered for a short duration.

Contact Urticaria?

Did the sensitive skin manifest within a few hours? Have you been exposed to one of the following: raw meat, fish, fragrances, metals, or rubber latex gloves? Do you have a burning, tingling, or itchy sensation on your skin? Is there red swelling on your hands? Are you experiencing watery eyes, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or wheezing?
If you have answered 'yes' to all these questions (not counting the last one, as this only occurs in very rare and severe cases) then you most likely have contact urticaria.
Treatment: The first thing that you will need to do is determine what caused the irritation. Once you have determined the external cause, you can avoid it in the future. To avoid severe reactions, medication may be prescribed.

Rosacea?

Are you between 30 and 60 years old? Do you have fair skin, blue eyes, and a Celtic background? Do you have a persistent rash on your face? Does the rash have dome shaped pustules? Is there swelling, scaling, or extreme redness or dryness? Does it look like you are constantly blushing? Are your eyes extremely sore and tender?
If you have answered 'yes' to the above questions, then you properly have rosacea.
Treatment: Oral antibiotics will be administered to reduce redness, pustules, and eye discomfort. The typical duration for oral antibiotics is between 6 to 12 weeks. For severe cases, metronidazole cream or gel will coincide with oral antibiotics. Only the cream and gel will be needed for mild cases. If oral antibiotics are proven effective, oral isotretinoin may be used instead. This will be administered in small doses for a long period of time.

Home Remedies for Sensitive Skin

Cleansing: Individuals with sensitive skin will need to use specific substances to wash their skin. Ideal cleansing substances will have a low pH level and without fragrance. There are special products made specifically for sensitive skin, so it is recommended that you purchase these.

Moisturizing: Purchase moisturizers that are not fragrance and are suitable for sensitive skin. Moisturizing is an important part of the skin routine as it protects your skin from external environmental factors and retains its moisture. The ideal moisturizer should contain petrolatum, linoleic acid, mineral oil, ceramides, dimethicone, or glycerin.

Cosmetics: Only purchase cosmetics that are made for sensitive skin.

Sun: If your skin is sensitive to touch, you should limit sun exposure. If you do go out in the sun make sure to wear sunscreen, a hat, and suitable clothes.

Home: Try to keep your house mild and not too hot. An overheated home can make your skin prone to dryness, flaking, and itching.

Bathing: When you take a bath or shower, make sure that the water is mild, not too hot or cold. After the bath or shower, gently pat your skin dry as opposed to rubbing it dry.

Diet: A healthy diet can greatly influence the condition of your skin. Try to supplement your diet with vitamin B. Some recommended foods include rice, oatmeal, eggs, fish, almonds, and dairy.