Whether you have struggled with sensitive skin your entire life or it is a recent development, those who have it, know from experience that one wrong move is all it takes to trigger a flare up. You’ve probably already purged your makeup and skincare stash of any and all products with fragrance, but there may be a few less-obvious habits that you’ve overlooked. We asked plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. James Beckman, to share a few everyday habits that could be worsening your sensitive skin.

5 Habits You Need to Break if You Have Sensitive Skin:

1. You should avoid washing your face with bar soap.
We get it. We really do. It is so tempting to use that bar soap so conveniently placed on your vanity. But you should know by now how we feel about bar soap for every skin type, particularly if you have sensitive skin. Using a harsh bar soap is making your skin more vulnerable to adverse reactions by stripping proteins and lipids that protect skin. Using a cleanser like Theraderm Cleansing Wash that is soap free will keep your face from feeling taut and dry.

2. You need to stop requesting the wrong kind of facials.
Let your skin care professional make the call about they type of facial you need or don’t need. A facial treatment that Dr. Beckman recommends is one using LED light. Not only can it strengthen capillary walls to reduce redness, it can actually thicken the skin helping it stay calm and healthy.

3. You need to avoid not washing your face before going to bed.
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it one thousand times -- your skin repairs itself while you are sleeping. But if there is a layer of dirt and makeup, there won’t be much repair going on. Instead, your pores will be clogged and you could possibly wake up with a rash.

4. You should avoid using harsh exfoliation products.
You know the ones we are talking about it. They are typically gritty and cause more damage than good. Believe it or not, they can make your skin go into overdrive on oil production and cause breakouts. NuPeel Natural Enzyme Peel uses the exfoliation power of papaya enzymes to exfoliate without damaging skin. It is so gentle, you can use it every day.

5. Don’t use water of extreme temperatures on your face.
When washing your face, water should be lukewarm. Water that is too hot or cold can irritate skin causing redness and/or breakouts.

If you struggle with sensitive skin, Theraderm Skin Renewal System with Gentle Moisturizer is perfect for you. It even works for those with rosacea.