[ skin deep ]
A World of
Sensitivity
Sensitivity impacts skin of all shades
and textures—learn how correctly
treating it can benefit your clients
and help your business thrive.
MOST CLIENTS WILL DESCRIBE THEIR SKIN AS
sensitive. From your perspective, this presents
a potential problem, as clients often link their
symptoms with a professional treatment or their
skincare products. It also offers an opportunity for
growth, as it allows you to educate your clients about
appropriate treatment, thus solving the problem and
ensuring a return visit for continued care.
The Roots of Sensitized Skin
Skin is remarkably resilient. It endures and survives nearly constant environmental assault from
pathogens, ultraviolet light, and free radicals. Historically, fair skin—Celtic-Nordic skin of Northern
European genetic heritage—has been associated
with inherited sensitivity, and pale skin has been
linked most easily with a tendency toward flushing,
blushing, and allergies. People of Northern European ethnicity also have historically been linked
with the greater incidents of rosacea. However,
sensitization is acquired, not inherited. In today’s
professional setting, we see a growing incidence of
sensitization among Asian and African-American
clients. The reality may simply be that lightly
pigmented skin shows the symptoms of sensitization more easily. Because all skin is vulnerable to
environmental sensitization, as professionals we
must take special measures to utilize all of our
senses to identify potential problems. Darker skin
will often reveal sensitization to the touch, if not
the eye. Deeply pigmented skin that is chemically or
environmentally sensitized feels hot and tight, even
though its appearance may be unchanged.
Common Causes and Triggers
Some sensitization truly is self-inflicted by clients
who self-diagnose and select products with irritating artificial colors, fragrances, and preservatives.
