An International Study on Sensitive Skin Across Continents in Over 20,000 Women: Geographic and Age-Related Differences, Menstrual Regularities and Cycle Phase influence, and Effect on WEMWBS score
Article Information
Claire Deloche1*, Charbel Skayem3,4, Charles Taieb2, Natalia Kovylkina1, Julie Faure1, Deuel Eamilao1, Rossella E Nappi5,6
1Laboratoires Vichy, Levallois Perret, France
2Patients Priority Dpt, EMMA, Paris, France
3Sorbonne University, Faculty of Medicine, Paris, France
4Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Boulogne-Billancourt
5Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia 27100, Italy
6Research Center for Reproductive Medicine and Gynecological Endocrinology - Menopause Unit, Fondazione Policlinico IRCCS S. Matteo, Pavia 27100, Italy
*Corresponding Author: Charles Taieb MD, Patients Priority Dpt European Market Maintenance Assessment, Paris, France.
Received: 16 November 2024; Accepted: 25 November 2024; Published: 27 February 2025
Citation: Claire Deloche, Charbel Skayem, Charles Taieb, Natalia Kovylkina, Julie Faure, Deuel Eamilao, Rossella E Nappi. An International Study on Sensitive Skin Across Continents in Over 20,000 Women: Geographic and Age-Related Differences, Impact of Menses Regularity and Cycle Phase, and Effect on Well-Being (WEMWBS). Journal of Women’s Health and Development. 8 (2025): 07-09.
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The term "sensitive skin"(SS) encompasses the experience of unusual sensations like tingling, burning, or prickling, potentially accompanied by pain or itching, caused by various factors [1,2]. Physical (such as UV rays, temperature extremes, or wind), chemical (like cosmetics, soaps, water, or pollution), psychological (such as stress), or hormonal (related to menstrual cycles) factors have been described [1-4]. While "SS" commonly refers to facial skin, it can also affect other parts of the body like scalp, hands, or genitals. In women, SS can have a significant impact on their lives due to associated discomfort, inconvenience, and potential limitations. Studies on the prevalence of SS in the general population are scarce, and most of them are limited to one region [1-8]. Our objective was to conduct an international study in 20 countries in order to assess the prevalence of SS in women aged 18-55 y.o. A representative sample of women, 18 and 55 y.o, was recruited in 20 countries [United States n=1200; Canada n=1200; France n=1200; Argentina n=750; Brazil n=1200; Chile n=750; China n=1200; Egypt n=1000; Germany n=1200; Greece n=751; Italy n=1200; Mexico n=1200;Nigeria n=500; Poland n=1200; Saudi Arabia n=1200; South Africa n=800; Spain n=1200; Thailand n=750; Turkey n=750;] using a stratified, proportional quota sampling (PQS) with a replacement design. PQS was used based on the distribution of the population according to age, sex, environment (large cities, towns, and rural areas), and income, in each participating country, in order to guarantee national representativeness of the sample.
Keywords
Sensitive skin; Hormonal changes; Mental well-being
Article Details
A structured digital questionnaire with various sociodemographic data, the presence or absence of menses in the past year, and the regularity or irregularity of the menstrual cycle was provided to the participants. Menopausal women were those >40y.o with no menses for at least 12 months. The participants were asked to describe whether they perceive their skin as sensitive or not. We compared the prevalence of skin sensitivity according to 1) regularity or irregularity of the menstrual cycle, 2) phases of the menstrual cycle (premenstrual phase, menses phase, post-ovulatory), geographic regions (Europe, North America, Latin America, Middle East, East Asia), age (18-40 vs 40-55), and for those above 40, menopausal vs not menopausal. Moreover, using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scales (WEMWBS), we compared in each of the groups ‘regular’ and ‘irregular’ menses, the degree of well-being.
|
Global Population |
Sensitive Skin |
No Sensitive Skin |
||
|
n |
% |
n |
% |
|
|
10069 |
50.30% |
9,933 |
49.70% |
|
|
Regular Periods |
4,442 |
47.10% |
4,994 |
52.90% |
|
Irregular Periods |
4,364 |
57.60% |
3,209 |
42.40% |
|
|
P-value |
<0.0001 |
||
|
Menopause |
557 |
38.10% |
906 |
61.90% |
|
|
n |
% |
n |
% |
|
Premenstrual Phase |
779 |
45.60% |
928 |
54.40% |
|
Period Phase |
543 |
45.30% |
656 |
54.70% |
|
Post-Ovulatory Phase |
1604 |
47.90% |
1748 |
52.10% |
|
|
P-value |
17.20% |
||
|
North America |
1,063 |
44.30% |
1,337 |
55.70% |
|
Europe |
4,067 |
54.20% |
3,434 |
45.80% |
|
Latin America |
1,872 |
48.00% |
2,028 |
52.00% |
|
Middle East |
2,032 |
58.10% |
1,468 |
41.90% |
|
East Asia |
1,034 |
38.30% |
1,666 |
61.70% |
|
|
P-value |
<0.0001 |
||
|
Ages 18-40 |
4,922 |
54.20% |
4,164 |
45.80% |
|
Ages 40-55 |
5,146 |
47.10% |
5,769 |
52.90% |
|
|
P-value |
<0.0001 |
||
|
40-55 years in Menopause |
557 |
38.10% |
906 |
61.90% |
|
40-55 years old without Menopause |
4,345 |
48.90% |
4,542 |
51.10% |
|
|
P-value |
<0.0001 |
||
Table 1: Prevalence of sensitive skin.
Figure 1: Degree of well-being according to the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scales (WEMWBS) in patients with sensitive vs not SS in each of the groups ‘regular menses’ and ‘irregular menses’.
In total, more than half of women reported having SS. The proportion of women with SS was significantly higher in those with irregular menses. There is no significant difference in prevalence of SS during the premenstrual phase vs menses phase vs post-ovulatory phase. The highest prevalence was noted in Middle East, followed by Europe, and the least prevalence in East Asia. Those below 40 years of age seem to have a significantly higher prevalence than those aged 40 and above. In particular, among women ≥40 y.o, those in menopause had a significantly lower prevalence of SS. Whether with regular or irregular menses, those with SS have lower WEMWBS score indicating probable poor mental health/well-being. Our study shows a high prevalence of SS in women in all regions of the world with geographic differences. Menstrual well-being plays a crucial role in women's overall health. Numerous females encounter irregularities in their menstrual cycles, which can profoundly affect their physical, mental, and social welfare [9]. Such irregularities may influence the skin's physiological properties and microbiota [9]. In contrast to those with regular menstrual cycles, individuals experiencing irregular menstrual cycles exhibit reduced skin hydration levels and increased trans-epidermal water loss [10]. Hormonal fluctuations, which govern irregular menstrual cycles, disrupt normal skin function, leading to skin health issues [9,10]. Understanding the importance of sensitive skin is essential for promoting overall skin health, improving quality of life for affected individuals, and guiding the development of appropriate skincare products and treatments. The effect of irregular cycles should be taken into consideration to support the need for selecting personal care routine or treatment.
Funding
This project was funded by Women Centricity of Vichy laboratories
Data availability statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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