ABSTRACT
Large epidemiological studies have been conducted on the prevalence of sensitive skin in different countries and among different ethnicities and cultures. To enable conduction of clinical studies in a population with sensitive skin and with nonsensitive skin, assumptions on the definition and inclusion criteria have to be made. In order to determine the prevalence of sensitive skin and to characterize the symptom profile and its eliciting factors, several surveys have been conducted in large cohorts across different geographical areas. An increasing number of studies select subjects by means of self-perceived sensitive skin inventoried by questionnaires, using different definitions of sensitive skin. Abnormal physiological pathways such as, impaired skin barrier function and increased inflammatory responses in atopic dermatitis (AD) or psoriasis should be excluded from explorative studies on the pathomechanism of sensitive skin. Objectively measured skin elasticity and distensibility show no correlation with hypersensitivity.
