People with sensitive skin have to be very careful about what they apply to their skin. Ingredients which don’t seem to bother anyone else can wreak havoc on sensitive skin.

The American Academy of Dermatology suggests the following when choosing products which will be applied to sensitive skin:

• Check the ingredients list for the kinds and types of preservatives in the product. Parabens are usually the least irritating for those with sensitive skin.
• Avoid products with botanical or antibacterial ingredients. Botanical products may not be well tolerated, and antibacterial ingredients are likely to be too drying.
• Choose products containing polyethylene glycol rather than propylene glycol or ethanol. Polyethylene glycol is not as easily absorbed by the skin, which is important for those with sensitive skin.

People who suffer from sensitive skin may wonder if they are doing things (unintentionally) to make their sensitive skin worse. Did you know, actually, that there are many reasons why your skin might be so sensitive?

Aside from the obvious culprits, like dry skin, environmental pollution, or irritants, there are actually hidden causes for sensitive skin. We’ll cover three of them here:

#1: Genetics.

Your brown eyes may not be the only thing you inherited from your grandmother. Genetics play a large role in determining skin sensitivity, especially for people suffering from eczema (atopic dermatitis). Sensitivity may be handed down, just like eye color or body shape.

#2: Gender.

Women are more likely to have sensitive skin compared to men. Skin sensitivity is likely to fluctuate over time, which may be related to hormonal changes related to the menstrual cycle.

#3: Ethnicity.

Some ethnic groups are naturally prone to more sensitive skin. Among these may be African Americans and Asians.

There are three more causes of sensitive skin. We’ll talk about those more in another post. Stay tuned.