OBJECTIVES: An international consensus has now been established for the definition of sensitive skin [SS], as proposed by a group of experts assembled by the International Society for the Study of Itch . The only study on the prevalence of SS in France was conducted in 2004.

METHODS: A national sample of 5,000 individuals representative of the French population was chosen by means of the usual method of quotas.The subjects participating in the study gave a response to an open question on the presence or absence of SS, and the appearance of burns, tingling, or irritation in the presence of various factors.TheQoL was measured by the DLQI in subjects reporting SS and by the SF12 in all subjects.

RESULTS: Of the 5,000 participants(48.9% men). When asked the question "Do you have SS?", 51.9% of men, 66.0% of women responded with " sensitive" or "very sensitive" (p<0.001). The participants reported an associated dermatosis in 65.88% of cases with very sensitive skin, 41.2% of cases with quite sensitive skin, 19.53% of cases with less sensitive skin. The QoL as measured by both the DLQI and the SF12, was significantly impaired.The DLQI scores were 10.4; 7.4; and 4.6, respectively, in subjects with very sensitive, quite sensitive, and less sensitive skin. In the results of the SF12, the mental dimension was significantly more affected by the reported sensitivity, with 39.9 for very sensitive skin, 43 for relatively sensitive skin, and 46.2 for less sensitive skin.

CONCLUSIONS: In 2004, 44% of men and 59% of women answered "sensitive" or "very sensitive" to the same question. Several explanations for this increase can be given : 1) the concept of sensitive skin may have become more familiar to the population, 2) the sample size (4 times larger than the sample in 2004), 3) new or more aggressive environmental factors.