Q:

I have very dry, sensitive skin, and my face easily gets red. I’ve heard that retinol is good for wrinkles and breakouts, however, it makes my face very irritated, and I have to stop using it. Is there anything else I can use that would benefit my skin without the irritation?

A:

One of the most common problems we hear from our patients is skin sensitivity. Some have redness, while others have dryness, irritation, rashes, or breakouts. Some patients have sensitive skin from infancy and others have developed skin sensitivity as an adult. There is a myriad of causes for sensitive skin including genetics, allergies, rosacea, or lack of appropriate skin care.

In many cases, sensitivity can be corrected so that the skin becomes healthy and resilient again; however, there are some cases where we may not be able to correct sensitive skin. Thankfully for those patients, we are fortunate to have innovative products and procedures that practically anyone can tolerate.

For example, acne can be treated with AO2 Clear, which is no more irritating than water, and the MMSphere2Go, which is a hands-free device for home use (it also helps with aging skin, sun damage, sleep, anxiety, and alertness).

Our patients with stressed and irritable skin love SkinBetter Science Mystro Active Balance Serum and Colorescience All Calm Clinical Redness Corrector.

If you’ve struggled with products such as Retin-A, there are mild-mannered alternatives that you’ll be able to use. We encourage anyone with sensitive skin to consult their skin care specialist to evaluate their unique needs and solutions.