The Complete Guide to Skin Care for Sensitive & Damaged Skin

Skincare has emerged as one of the most holistic practices in the Covid 19 era. Almost everyone started following some kind of skincare ritual during this time. Many people spent time understanding their skin types and their needs. It is a fact that your skin type or quality is determined by genetics, although it will also be affected by other factors and can change with time. Based on various characteristics, there are five types of healthy skin, namely:

1. Normal skin

2. Dry

3. Oily

4. Combination

5. Sensitive

We will now talk about the main characteristics of each of these skin types:

1. Normal skin

Normal skin is the most common yet idealistic skin type, characterized by a clear appearance, an even skin tone and neither tight nor greasy. For someone with normal skin, their face would be soft and supple when touched, with less visible pores all while retaining a good level of moisture and elasticity. This skin type is also not sensitive to external elements like those with sensitive skin.

 

2. Dry skin

In many cases, dry skin is caused by foreign or outer elements like weather, low air humidity, etc, and it is usually temporary. However, for some people, this can happen a lot more often and even be a lifelong condition. Since dry skin is prone to cracking, leaving it more exposed to bacteria, which in general might not be that serious, but it may cause other skin disorders like eczema. It can even be more prone to infections if not properly taken care of. It is usually identified by a feeling of tightness and roughness all over the face.

 

3. Oily skin

Oily skin is caused by the extra secretion of sebum. Sebum is an oily substance that our skin basically feeds on, in order to function properly. It needs to be present in a balanced quantity as too much of this sebum can cause acne and too little can lead to dry, cracked skin. The main characteristics of oily skin include a shiny appearance with frequent breakouts, less visible wrinkles but prominent and enlarged pores.  Someone with an oily skin texture might notice that makeup wears off their face easily. Whilst it is believed that oily skin typically occurs during the adolescence stage, in reality, it can be seen at any age.

 

4. Combination skin

People are often unclear about what combination skin is, despite knowing of its existence. When talking about combination skin, it means we have a combination of at least two different types of facial skin and may need to adjust our skincare practices accordingly. The main variations of combination skin are either oily or normal skin around the T-Zone area of the face, which includes the chin nose and forehead, or dry or normal skin around the U-ZONE of the face, under which, comes the cheek, mouth, and eyes.

 

5. Sensitive skin

Sensitive skin is highly prone to react to external stimuli to which normal skin would have no reaction. It is fragile by nature and usually accompanied by feelings of discomfort, such as tightness, redness, heat, or itching. This type of skin no longer has its barrier (or protective) function, making it easier for microorganisms and irritant (foreign) substances to enter it while increasing the odds of having an infection and allergic reactions. Sensitive skin is delicate in nature and requires more care to fight dryness and roughness along with its usual appearance. Sometimes, it is also called irritated skin instead of sensitive. This also happens to be one of the most problematic skin types.

 

If you are wondering how you can repair skin damage brought on by a sensitive skin type, keep in mind the following things:

1. Simplify your skincare routine

An elaborate routine doesn’t always guarantee better results. Follow an organic skincare routine and keep it as simple as possible. Don’t use more than one or two issue-targeting products (like oil control, acne, or sensitivity treating product) at a time as a greater number of products can increase the odds of your skin being stressed and being overly sensitive and more prone to resulting in acne breakouts.

2. Pay attention to Ph levels

Our skin is mildly acidic and has a pH level between 4.7 to 5.7 on a scale of 0 to 14. Make sure you buy products to maintain that level as any product above 7 would be alkaline and they have the ability to disable your skin’s natural defenses against dryness, irritation, and infections.

3. Try using plant oils to rebuild your skin barrier

Products made from natural ingredients like coconut oil, tea tree oil, almond oil, etc. have numerous benefits as they are chemical-free and retain their natural properties, proving to be beneficial if used for your skin.

4. Give an acne treatment at least 4 weeks to work.

Using a new acne product every few days may seem beneficial, but that approach can actually make the acne worse. Acne treatment is a slow but fruitful process that needs time to work. Using a wide range of products in a short span of time can further irritate your skin, resulting in n new breakouts. If a treatment proves itself beneficial to you, then you should be noticing some improvement in a period of 4 to 6 weeks. It can take two to three months or longer to see the clearing. If you notice any improvements then continue following the treatment. Even when you have clear skin, it is advisable that you continue with the same acne treatment. This will help prevent new breakouts, make it easy for your skin to adjust to the products, and help improve and avoid damaged skin.

5. Attack the different causes of acne.

If you don’t see any improvement after 4 to 6 weeks, you can add a second acne product to your treatment plan. Since there is no standard definition of “sensitive skin”, even the triggers are varied for everyone. Hence, this approach can help attack the different underlying causes of acne. Bacteria, clogged pores, oil, and inflammation are all possible triggers when it comes to acne. Practically speaking, the second or updated version of the treatment should naturally attack a different cause of acne.

There are numerous skin care products out in the market, now more than ever. With the beauty industry making great use of the digital platform, and new and attractive brands popping up every now and then, make sure to use the right organic beauty products, keeping your skin’s requirements in mind. More than using a renowned brand or products, your emphasis should be on selecting products that work for you, especially when you have a sensitive skin type as that alone requires special attention if we talk about subsiding the cause of concern. Even if it takes time to find the right product for you, do not rush into trying multiple products at once as you might end up in a worse place than the one you started at.