Yikes! What To Do With Oily Skin?

What to do and not to do when you have oily facial skin. Understanding what causes excessive oil and how to take care of it.

Oily skin is shiny, thick and often dull colored, has coarse pores and pimples and other embarrassing blemishes. It is prone to blackheads. With this type of skin, the oil producing sebaceous glands are overactive and produce more oil than is needed. The oil oozes and gives the skin a greasy shine. The pores are enlarged and the skin has a coarse look. The great advantage of oily skin is that it ages at a slower rate than other skin type and has less wrinkles.

OK...Ok... So what's causes oily skin? There could be a single or a combination of the following:

Internal causes:

• Heredity: determines the size and activity of the sebaceous glands.
• The hormonal system:Because of the hormonal shifts of adolescence, oily skin is common in teenagers, but it can occur at any age. In general, skin tends to become dryer with age. Sebum production starts to rise from the age of 10 and stabilizes around the age of 25, although it remains higher in men than in women. The menstrual cycle tends to increase sebaceous secretions whereas menopause diminishes it. During pregnancy and menopause, hormonal imbalances can also upset the oil balance and increase the activity of sebaceous glands. Many people have skin that is oily only in certain areas and dry or normal in others, a condition known as combination skin.
• Stress: the stress of daily life significantly increases sebum production.
• An unbalanced diet: spices and alcohol stimulate the production of sebum, as do meals taken at irregular intervals. A healthy, balanced diet is also an important factor for maintaining healthy-looking skin. Contrary to popular belief, eating chocolate (in a reasonable amount) does not promote oily skin.

External Causes:

• Daily aggressions (pollution, sun, air-conditioning, etc): pollution clings to the skin, damaging the hydrolipidic film and so worsening the condition of oily skin. Air-conditioning and sunshine also have a negative effect because by drying the skin, they temporarily conceal excess sebum, which reappears later in an excessive "rebound" reaction.
• The climate: when the outside temperature rises, sebum secretion also rises. That is why oily skin is more common in a hot, humid climate.
• The wrong cosmetics can easily aggravate an otherwise mild case of oily skin. The use of harsh products that scour and dry the skin and also provoke an excessive reaction.

Alright...What to do with my oily skin?

You should avoid skin care products that leave your skin feeling taut and dehydrated. They cause the upper layers of the skin to shrink. This restricts oil flow through the pores leading to blockages and breakouts.

Skin care routine

• Step 1: Wash your face two or three times a day with a mild cleanser that does not include perfumes or additives. Keep your skin very clean, but do not scrub too hard.
  

• Step 2 : Use an oil-free moisturizer and cosmetics
  

• Step 3: Use a clay-based face mask two or three times a week.
  

• Step 4: Choose products containing alpha-hydroxy acids, which remove dead cells and give skin a smoother appearance.
  

• Step 5: Keep your skin hydrated by drinking at least eight glasses of water a day.
  

• Step 6: Reduce fats and oils in your diet. Increase your intake of fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
  

• Step 7: Watch your sun exposure. Although the sun may seem to dry your skin, too much heat actually stimulates the production of more oil.
  

• Step 8: Supplement your diet with B-complex vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc and vitamin E. You can also take a high-potency multivitamin.