Possible Correlation between Self-Reported Sensitive Skin and Physical and Chemical Biomarkers

Abstract We conducted a study to evaluate the urogenital skin environment of pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. Differences in biomolecular and physical measures of urogenital skin sites are reported in a separate publication, however, compelling observations on self-perceived sensitive skin, in light of the differences observed in the measured biomarker and physical parameters, prompted this brief communication. Women enrolled in the study included; 15 pre-menopausal (Pre-M), 15 post-menopausal receiving no form of hormone replacement therapy (Post-M Non-HRT), and post- 15menopausal receiving HRT (Post-M HRT). Notable trends among post-menopausal women who claimed sensitive genital skin compared to those whose skin was not sensitive were: higher histidine/histamine ratios at the introitus and labia majora; higher levels of NMF and its components at the introitus, and; higher levels of IL1- at the introitus, labia minora and labia majora. Differences in these parameters were not observed in the pre-menopausal women when those with sensitive were compared to those whose skin was not sensitive. In pre- and post-menopausal women individuals claiming sensitive genital skin had a directionally higher pH vaginally, and at the introitus. Not all observed differences were statistically significant. In fact, the relatively small number of participants resulted in a low likelihood of differences achieving significance. However, understanding the associations between sensitive skin and physiological parameters is an important step in peeling back the basis of sensitive skin. These interesting trends provide directions for further investigation.