Beyond the skin surface: untangling sensitive skin syndrome and peripheral neuropathy through an exploratory...

Sensitive skin syndrome (SSS) is commonly reported despite its nonspecific definition, whereas peripheral neuropathy (PN) remains underrecognized in the general population. Because localized paresthesia and numbness-particularly in the hands and feet-may be perceived as skin problems, some patients reporting sensitive skin could have unrecognized neuropathy. This exploratory real-world evidence study investigated the potential overlap between SSS and PN.

Patient-level real-world data from health records of individuals reporting sensitive skin were analyzed to characterize associated diagnoses, symptoms, comorbidities, and risk factors potentially related to PN.

Diagnoses among patients reporting sensitive skin included dermatitis (44%), altered skin sensation (33%), dry skin or urticaria (15%), and acne (13%). Within the group diagnosed with altered skin sensation, 18% reported paresthesia or tingling, 11% reported anesthesia or numbness, and 4% reported other symptoms. Documented comorbidities and risk factors included established contributors to PN, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and smoking.

The findings suggest a potential diagnostic overlap between SSS and PN and raise the hypothesis that some patients with altered skin sensation may have unrecognized PN. They also demonstrate how real-world data can reveal symptom patterns that may be overlooked during routine clinical assessment. Because the hypothesis arose from the same dataset used to explore it, these findings should be considered hypothesis-generating and require prospective confirmation. Nevertheless, timely differentiation between SSS and PN could facilitate appropriate clinical evaluation and improve patient health and well-being.