Survey of practicing dermatologists on the prevalence of sensitive skin in men

Today, a majority of the general population describe themselves as having sensitive skin. Although this is often considered more of a problem for women, the number of men claiming this condition is substantial. The objective of these studies was to evaluate dermatologists' perceptions with regard to the prevalence of sensitive skin among men, and the potential impact of influencing factors.

Questionnaire surveys were conducted among two groups; a European survey (1531 subjects), which included dermatologists from several geographical regions, and a US Internet survey (300 subjects).

The majority of dermatologists in both studies (82.0% and 58.3%, respectively) either agreed or strongly agreed that they have noticed an increase in male patients reporting sensitive facial skin over the past 5 years. Some regional differences were apparent in the European survey, with a significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher proportion agreeing in Central/Eastern Europe (84.9%) and Asia (89.9%) compared with Western Europe (75.1%). General factors cited that could influence the incidence of perceived skin sensitivity included environmental factors, stress, increased acceptance in society and increased use of products. With the exception of UV light exposure, which was cited by a majority of dermatologists in all geographical regions, exacerbating environmental factors differed in a manner that may have been related to differing climates in the regions. In both surveys, over 90% of responders agreed that the selection of shaving products was important for men with sensitive skin.