ABSTRACT
Certain individuals experience more intense and frequent adverse sensory effects than the so-called normal population after topical use of personal care products, a phenomenon known in popular usage as sensitive skin. Consumer reports of sensitive skin are self-diagnosed and often not verifiable by objective signs of physical irritation. Manufacturers of cosmetic and personal care products are challenged to provide safe products to consumers with vast differences in skin type, culture, and habits. This review examines the still incomplete understanding of this phenomenon with respect to etiology, diagnosis, appropriate testing methods, possible contributing host factors (e.g., gender, ethnicity, age, anatomical site, cultural and environmental factors), and the future directions needed for research.
