Hypersensitive skin
Introduction
Recognising the signs
What are the trigger factors?
What are the mechanisms of hypersensitive skin?
Good habits to adopt
What are the mechanisms of hypersensitive skin?
Hypersensitive skin is characterised by:
• Impaired function of the “cutaneous barrier”
The skin – and more especially the stratum corneum – no longer fulfils its protective barrier role. The stratum corneum, which is the uppermost layer of the skin, may be compared to a brick wall:
- The bricks are cells solidly attached to one another
- The cement is made up of lipids that allow the cells to bind to one other.
In the case of hypersensitive skin, these cells are less well attached to each other, which thus makes the skin more fragile and permeable. It thus allows itself to be more easily penetrated by potentially irritant substances and runs the risk of becoming infected.
• A lowered skin tolerance threshold
Highly varied and often relatively mild factors thus provoke irritation of the skin (stinging, sensations of warmth), which is accompanied by redness.