Dr. Benjamin Barankin
Dermatologist, Medical Director, & Founder, Toronto Dermatology Centre
When it comes to sensitive skin, ingredients matter. Cliniderm’s skincare and haircare products contain gentle ingredients that support sensitive and reactive skin.
Sensitive skin is a common problem, affecting about 56% of women and 30% of men in Canada. Symptoms may be invisible and can include burning, itching, stinging, or tightness. Sensitive skin may be easily irritated, dry, or delicate, and react quickly to environment triggers, such as the sun, wind, temperature changes and pollution. Many people with sensitive skin also have a lower tolerance to ingredients used in products like detergents, make-up, skincare, and haircare products.
With the current COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a notable increase in skin sensitivity among the population. “People are using more products than ever before, many of which have a lot of potential allergens or irritants, says Dr. Ben Barankin, Dermatologist, Medical Director & Founder, Toronto Dermatology Centre. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer and frequent handwashing with anti-bacterial soap can irritate the hands. On top of that, mask wearing – while important to preventing virus spread – can affect facial skin, causing acne and rosacea flares or pimples in and around the mouth area.
Clean Beauty That’s Irritant-Free
People with sensitive skin need support through products like moisturizers and sunscreens but finding effective and non-reactive products can be challenging. Cliniderm is a brand marketed by APCI, a Canadian company that takes sensitive skin seriously, offering a complete, head-to-toe line of dermatologist-recommended skincare and healthcare products that are irritant-free. “Cliniderm is something we’ve been recommending at the clinic for over 15 years for conditions like eczema, dry skin, impetigo, psoriasis, rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, diaper rash, and sunburn,” says Dr. Barankin. “We think they are high-quality products with a great price point and ingredient profile,” he says.
The products are free of parabens, lanolin, dyes, formaldehyde, perfumes, and proteins, and formulated instead with ingredients known to be gentle and effective for sensitive skin such as hyaluronic acid, shea butter and vitamin F.
Cliniderm’s hero product Soothing Cream is a rich non-greasy moisturizer that provides long lasting hydration and rapid relief from dry skin that is recommended for daily use on the face and body. The Cliniderm Gentle Protective SPF 45 is a light non-greasy lotion that protects the skin from the harmful effects of UVA and UVB rays. Quickly absorbed and invisible, it offers long-lasting moisturization and is non-comedogenic, so it can be used on oily or acne-prone skin.
Products Approved by Dermatology Review Panel
Several of Cliniderm’s products have received approval from the Dermatology Review Panel, an independent team of dermatologists in Canada that verifies claims for non-prescription products, of which Dr. Barankin is a member. “If you’re struggling with sensitive skin, you might want to start with a product like Cliniderm with ingredients that are known to be tested and true and have been around for many years,” says Dr. Barankin.
Q&A with Dr. Sandy Skotnicki
Dr. Sandy Skotnicki, an expert dermatologist, shares her insight to help save your skin this summer.
Mediaplanet: What’s your biggest tip for how we can keep our skin healthy as we wear masks this summer?
Dr. Sandy Skotnicki: Masks can cause mechanical acne, or the new lay term maskne. Mechanical rubbing and friction along with sweat can lead to acne, and we’ve seen this under helmets along the forehead, chin straps, and now with surgical masks. A cotton or silk mask under a surgical mask can be helpful. Keep clean masks handy. Sweat increases friction, which worsens the problem, so as your mask gets damp, in particular during the warmer summer months, it’s important to change it. Mild acne medication at night can help keep treat emerging acne. A low concentration of benzoyl peroxide is a good place to start. Finally, don’t layer a lot of makeup under your mask, as it will aggravate the condition and use a mild, fragrance-free cleanser to wash your face a night.
What advice do you have for those with sensitive skin?
Sensitive skin is a passion of mine — you could say I wrote the book on it. My book, Beyond Soap is an in-depth look at why 40 percent of the industrialized world self-identify as having sensitive skin. The main cause of sensitive skin is a disrupted skin barrier. Our outer skin structurally looks very similar to a brick wall and acts like a permeable membrane. The “mortar” is easily damaged by water and detergents, making it leaky. This leakiness is essentially what causes skin to be sensitive, reactive and irritated. So, try not to overly disturb your skin barrier with over-cleansing, scrubbing and rubbing. Only wash your dirty, smelly areas and use cleansers and not true soap bars. Replace what is lost with washing in the form of a fragrance-free moisturizer targeted to irritated or eczema-prone skin.
