The skin can protect our cellular tissue from harm caused by the external environment, but sometimes due to endocrine issues, allergies, or other reasons, it can also lead to the appearance of pimples or bumps on the skin. If there are large areas of the body covered with itchy bumps, the first consideration should be folliculitis. Additionally, if certain foods that are prone to causing allergies are consumed, it could also be caused by allergies. The specific cause needs to be determined based on the symptoms of the skin.
Why do allergies occur? The precise definition of sensitive skin has not yet reached a consensus. Generally, sensitive skin is considered a highly intolerant skin state that is easily irritated by various factors, resulting in subjective symptoms such as stinging, burning, tightness, and itching. The appearance of the skin may be normal or accompanied by mild scaling, erythema, and dryness. Sensitive skin and "skin allergies" are two different concepts. Skin allergies are allergic reactions that occur when allergens enter the body, prompting the body to produce corresponding antibodies, triggering antigen-antibody reactions that manifest as clinical objective signs such as erythema, papules, and wheals, often accompanied by itching. Sensitive skin, on the other hand, usually involves a reduced tolerance to irritation, resulting in a series of abnormal sensory reactions that often lack objective signs. Although the exact mechanism is not fully understood, it is generally believed that it does not involve immune or allergic mechanisms.
The clinical manifestations of allergies in patients with sensitive skin often include itching, stinging, needle-like sensations, burning, and tightness. The severity of these symptoms can vary from person to person. The discomfort may worsen after using cosmetics, and some individuals may not be able to tolerate any skincare products. The discomfort may appear within minutes, hours, or even days after using the product. Sometimes, symptoms such as dry skin, facial erythema, and fine scales may be visible. The face may also be prone to flushing. The clinical types can be classified as follows:
1. Environmental type: This is commonly seen in fair-skinned individuals with dry and thin skin. It mainly reacts to environmental factors such as sensitivity to cold, heat, and rapid temperature changes. Frequent facial flushing may occur.
2. Cosmetic type: This type mainly reacts to cosmetics.
3. Highly sensitive type: This type reacts severely to exogenous factors such as cosmetics, environmental factors, and endogenous factors.
