Is your skin sensitive to touch? Then your skin may be going through certain conditions that make it painful from even the slightest brush. In this article, we’d like to focus on delicate skin that highly reacts when it comes into contact with another surface. To help better care for it, we’ll also share some skin hacks that can boost your skincare routine and improve your skin’s health. So, read on!
Why does your skin become painful to touch?
The term sensitive skin generally refers to inflammation-prone skin with varying causes and intensities. Although it isn’t life-threatening, it can cause much pain and discomfort and make everyday life difficult. Worse, it can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Here are some of the typical reasons your skin can hurt when touched.
Major Reasons for Skin Sensitivity
1.Allodynia
Allodynia is a rare skin disorder triggered by nerve-related issues. You may have this condition if your epidermis reacts to stimuli that normally don’t result in pain, causing you extreme pain. This commonly affects individuals whose nervous systems aren’t functioning as they should. When you have allodynia, you may experience severe pain from a light touch, changes in temperature, or generally harmless movements like pulling a bedsheet across your skin. It isn’t diagnosed as a medical condition, but this disorder can point to the following underlying diseases
- Shingles
- Fibromyalgia
- Diabetes
- Migraine headaches
- Chronic stress
2. Your Menstrual Cycle
Your skin’s sensitivity may also be a symptom of your first period or the succeeding ones. During your cycle, your body can experience fluctuations in your estrogen and progesterone levels that change your body and skin. For example, in one study, participants reported that their skin became more sensitive right before and while menstruating. Additional triggers could be stress, shaving, shifts in the weather, or personal skincare items.
3. Skin Injuries
When a body part is injured, the capillaries leak blood, which gets trapped under the skin. This is what makes it tender to the touch. Fortunately, a bruise doesn’t typically result in an infection because the skin isn’t broken. On the other hand, cuts or scrapes are open wounds that may need to be closed up if they’re large ones to protect your skin from the entry of bacteria. You can also feel pain from burning skin because the heat damages its cells, damaging both the epidermal and dermal layers.
How to fix sensitive skin
Your treatment or management of skin sensitivity will naturally depend on what causes it.
1.Addressing Allodynia
Even though you may not completely prevent allodynia from happening, there are ways that can help you alleviate the pain or reduce your risk of it.
- Ensure that you see a doctor to help you treat the root cause of your skin sensitivity.
- Your healthcare professional may topical treatments.
- They may also prescribe oral medications and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to help reduce any swelling or pain.
Find out if you have allodynic pain by brushing a dry cotton pad across your skin and applying a hot or cold compress. If you feel some tingling, you may have allodynia. It’s best to confirm this with your physician.
2. Managing Your Period
The good news is that it’s possible to make menstrual skin feel better. Check out these easy yet effective hacks.
- Subscribe to an organic skin care regimen to protect your skin from harsh chemicals like sulfates that dry and irritate your skin. Use a gentle facial wash and lukewarm water twice a day.
- Drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin.
- Eat healthful foods that infuse antioxidants into your body.
- Exercise regularly to boost circulation to speed up the healing and regeneration of cells.
- Practice good sleep hygiene with a regular bedtime routine. Have at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep and go to bed at a fixed time every night.
3. Preventing and Treating Skin Injuries
Keep minor accidents from making your skin hurt and become tender to touch with the following tips.
- The best way to treat skin injuries is to nip them in the bud! Keep safe in whatever activity you engage in.
- If you have a bruise, rest the affected area. Use a towel, apply an ice pack, and leave it on for 10 to 20 minutes. Repeat throughout the day. If it swells up, use an elastic bandage. Make sure to elevate the bruised area.
- Protect the bigger wounds with a bandage. First make sure you’ve got clean hands. Then apply an antiseptic before covering the gape, changing the dressing as often as needed.
- Stay sun-protected by wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30 and protective clothing, like long-sleeved shirts, pants, and wide-brimmed hats.
For more practical tips on health and beauty, check out LA Mode today!