A Retrospective Cohort Study on the Efficacy of Pregabalin in Patients With Sensitive Skin

Background Sensitive skin syndrome (SSS) is a common disorder showing abnormal responses to stimuli, without approved treatments and unclear neuropathic mechanisms. Objective To evaluate pregabalin efficacy in reducing SSS symptoms and identify predictors of treatment response. Methods A systematic retrospective cohort of 112 clinically diagnosed SSS patients (mean age 40.5 years). The primary outcome was sensitive scale‐10 (SS‐10) score change at 12 weeks; response was defined as a ≥ 30% reduction. Secondary outcomes included dermatology life quality index (DLQI), hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), skin biophysical parameters, von Frey thresholds and facial erythema. Results At 12 weeks, 46.4% of patients responded. Most patients (86.6%) received less than 75 mg/day. Higher baseline SS‐10 scores ( r = 0.5) and tingling symptoms ( p = 0.050) were associated with greater response, while discomfort was associated with non‐response ( p = 0.005). SS‐10 scores correlated with DLQI ( r = 0.49) and total HADS ( r = 0.29). Reduced von Frey thresholds ( r = −0.28) and increased facial erythema ( r = 0.39) were observed in responders. Conclusion Pregabalin improved symptoms in SSS, supporting its potential role in managing neuropathic features and reinforcing the neurogenic hypothesis underlying its therapeutic mechanism.