Comparison and application of the sensitive scale-10 and lactic acid sting test in evaluating sensitive skin
Zhen Su, Jian Chen, Zexian Tang, Wei Lai, Congxiu YeAbstract
Background:
Sensitive skin is a complex syndrome lacking effective assessment and diagnostic methods.
Objectives:
This study compared the sensitive scale-10 (SS-10) and the lactic acid sting test (LAST) in a preselected cohort of women with self-reported sensitivity, LAST ≥3, and visible erythema.
Methods:
Eighty-eight eligible Chinese females completed the SS-10 questionnaire and LAST, along with objective measurements including transepidermal water loss (TEWL), erythema index (EI), facial red area, and a* value. The correlation among scales, skin biological indices, and the LAST score was analyzed. The participants were classified into sensitive and slightly sensitive skin groups based on the SS-10 scores for comparison.
Results:
Eighty-seven participants were included in the overall statistical analysis, with the sensitive and slightly sensitive skin groups accounting for 77.9% (one participant was excluded) and 22.1%, respectively. The EI and a* value were significantly higher, and the facial red area and TEWL were higher in the sensitive skin group than in the slightly sensitive group. The scores for the SS-10 items, except pain and general discomfort, were significantly higher in the sensitive skin group than in the slightly sensitive skin group. The LAST showed a significant but weakly positive correlation with SS-10 scores, pain, stinging, and itching scores. The facial red area showed a significant but weakly positive correlation with the SS-10 score, but not with the LAST score. TEWL showed the opposite.
Conclusion:
In this preselected cohort, SS-10 correlated more with erythema-related measures, whereas LAST associated more with barrier function, indicating distinct assessment dimensions.