Sensitive skin and rosacea: nosologic framework.

Flushing due to rosacea may be mistaken for sensitive skin, which can manifest as abnormal sensations during fairly acute reactions to a variety of triggers, many of which are shared by rosacea and sensitive skin. Nevertheless, the two conditions are clearly different. Rosacea is a vascular disease, worsens gradually over time, manifests as flares triggered chiefly by systemic factors, is largely confined to the facial and/or ocular regions, and responds to specific treatments. Sensitive skin, in contrast, is an epidermal cosmetic problem that runs a variable course, with diffuse skin involvement and flares triggered mainly by contact factors. The flares respond to specific cosmetics and are usually worsened by treatments for rosacea.