BACKGROUND: There is a growing awareness that some individuals exhibit heightened skin sensitivity, particularly on the face, and have a high incidence of adverse reactions to cosmetics and toiletries. OBJECTIVES: To carry out an epidemiological study to assess the prevalence of sensitive skin and cosmetic-related adverse events in a U.K. population, and to examine possible factors that may be associated with sensitive skin. METHODS: Self-assessment questionnaires were sent out to 3300 women and 500 men, randomly selected, who were over the age of 18 years and lived within a 10-mile radius of High Wycombe (Bucks.). Fifty non-responder women were also questioned by telephone to ensure that the postal responders were representative of the population as a whole. RESULTS: The response rates were 62% for women and 52% for men, with the incidence of self-reported skin sensitivity being 51.4% and 38.2%, respectively. Ten per cent of women and 5.8% of men described themselves as having very sensitive skin. Fifty-seven per cent of women and 31.4% of men had experienced an adverse reaction to a personal product at some stage in their lives, with 23% of women and 13.8% of men having had a problem in the last 12 months. Among the women, symptoms of cosmetic-induced subjective sensory skin discomfort (burning, stinging, itching etc.) occurred more commonly in the sensitive skin cohort (53%) than in those who regarded themselves as non-sensitive (17%). An atopic diathesis in women did not appear to be a predictive factor for sensitive skin, the incidence of self-perceived sensitive skin being equivalent for atopics (49%) and non-atopics (51%). Furthermore, some 34% of atopic women described themselves as being non-sensitive. Nevertheless, the incidence of atopy was higher among the women in the sensitive skin group (49%) than among those in the non-sensitive group (27%). Dry skin and a predilection for blushing/flushing were associated factors for sensitive skin. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey indicates that sensitive facial skin is a common problem for women and men in the U.K. and points to the need for the development of personal products designed for this skin phenotype.
BACKGROUND: There is a growing awareness that some individuals exhibit heightened skin sensitivity, particularly on the face, and have a high incidence of adverse reactions to cosmetics and toiletries. OBJECTIVES: To carry out an epidemiological study to assess the prevalence of sensitive skin and cosmetic-related adverse events in a U.K. population, and to examine possible factors that may be associated with sensitive skin. METHODS: Self-assessment questionnaires were sent out to 3300 women and 500 men, randomly selected, who were over the age of 18 years and lived within a 10-mile radius of High Wycombe (Bucks.). Fifty non-responder women were also questioned by telephone to ensure that the postal responders were representative of the population as a whole. RESULTS: The response rates were 62% for women and 52% for men, with the incidence of self-reported skin sensitivity being 51.4% and 38.2%, respectively. Ten per cent of women and 5.8% of men described themselves as having very sensitive skin. Fifty-seven per cent of women and 31.4% of men had experienced an adverse reaction to a personal product at some stage in their lives, with 23% of women and 13.8% of men having had a problem in the last 12 months. Among the women, symptoms of cosmetic-induced subjective sensory skin discomfort (burning, stinging, itching etc.) occurred more commonly in the sensitive skin cohort (53%) than in those who regarded themselves as non-sensitive (17%). An atopic diathesis in women did not appear to be a predictive factor for sensitive skin, the incidence of self-perceived sensitive skin being equivalent for atopics (49%) and non-atopics (51%). Furthermore, some 34% of atopic women described themselves as being non-sensitive. Nevertheless, the incidence of atopy was higher among the women in the sensitive skin group (49%) than among those in the non-sensitive group (27%). Dry skin and a predilection for blushing/flushing were associated factors for sensitive skin. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey indicates that sensitive facial skin is a common problem for women and men in the U.K. and points to the need for the development of personal products designed for this skin phenotype.
Authors: Ida Duarte; Jéssica Eleonora P S Silveira; Mariana de Figueiredo Silva Hafner; Raquel Toyota; Debora Midori M Pedroso Journal: An Bras Dermatol Date: 2017 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 1.896
Authors: Xiaohua Wang; Yunzhi Su; Baoqing Zheng; Si Wen; Dan Liu; Li Ye; Yunling Yan; Peter M Elias; Bin Yang; Mao-Qiang Man Journal: J Cosmet Dermatol Date: 2019-08-28 Impact factor: 2.696
Authors: Shuai Xu; Michael Kwa; Mary E Lohman; Rachel Evers-Meltzer; Jonathan I Silverberg Journal: JAMA Dermatol Date: 2017-11-01 Impact factor: 10.282
Authors: Renée J H Richters; Denise Falcone; Natallia E Uzunbajakava; Babu Varghese; Peter J Caspers; Gerwin J Puppels; Piet E J van Erp; Peter C M van de Kerkhof Journal: Skin Pharmacol Physiol Date: 2017-01-26 Impact factor: 3.479
Authors: Su Jung Park; Won Woo Choi; Oh Sang Kwon; Jin Ho Chung; Hee Chul Eun; Yung E Earm; Sung Joon Kim Journal: Korean J Physiol Pharmacol Date: 2008-08-31 Impact factor: 2.016