Sensitive skin: an epidemiological study.
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.


OBJECTIVE
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.
Willis
C M
CM
Department of Dermatology, Amersham Hospital, Amersham, Bucks HP7 0JD, UK. carolynwillis@sbnhst.ftech.co.uk
Shaw
S
S
De Lacharrière
O
O
Baverel
M
M
Reiche
L
L
Jourdain
R
R
Bastien
P
P
Wilkinson
J D
JD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001821:Blushing; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005483:Flushing / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000150:complications; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016011:Normal Distribution; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D003358:Cosmetics