It’s Important to Care for Oily Skin

Acne, blackheads, whiteheads and pimples often appear as the excess oils in the skin manifest themselves by clogging pores. If you have oily skin, cleanse only two or three times at the very most with a product made for your skin type. Washing more often will only strip the skin of oil which simply revs up the oil glands to replace it. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and then finish off with a toner/ astringent to on the oily areas of your skin. The astringent can be used throughout the day to help control the excess oil that appears.

Glands which produce sebum (the semi-fluid substance that gives skin its suppleness and moistness) being overactive and producing more sebum than is needed for healthy skin cause oily skin. The pores of the skin are often larger in these cases and tend to give the skin a coarser look than normal skin has.

The sebaceous glands tend to be larger on the face, especially around the nose, and so the effects of oily skin can be more pronounced there than on other parts of the body. These larger glands are also concentrated on areas of the neck, chest and back and thus conditions such as acne often are concentrated in those parts of the body as well.

Special care is needed in order to combat the effects of oily skin. There are many online merchants and catalogers that carry a wide selection of skin care products that are specially formulated to correct the problems associated with oily skin. One of those is Soft Surroundings. Its website is designed to show you exactly which items would be best suited for your particular skin type ? whether it is oily, dry or a combination of the two.

What Causes Oily Skin?

Heredity is a major cause of oily skin. But hormone levels also play a major role in outbreaks of the condition. Teenagers passing through puberty have their hormonal levels drastically altered during that period which often leads to outbreaks of acne.

Similarly, pregnant women, whose hormones often undergo drastic changes, can have the production of sebum affected to the point of having oily skin problems. (Ironically, the hormone-altering effects of birth control pills can have the same effect.) And the hormone imbalance in women in the throes of menopause can also cause the oil glands to overproduce sebum and result in oily skin problems.

Stress is another factor that may cause the glands to overwork and produce too much oil. Diet may also play a major role. There are differing opinions on which foods may add to the problem of oily skin, but there is some agreement that fried foods and other foods which contain high amounts of fat should be avoided to aid in keeping oil production in the skin glands down. Some authorities also point the finger of blame at chocolate and other sweets while others think that the consumption of too much iodine (in fish primarily) is a more important cause.

Preventative Actions

Keeping the skin clean and moisturized is a good way of helping to cleanse pores and reduce the amount of oil produced. Skin should be washed with lukewarm water (hot water will only cause dry skin) and you should use gentle cleansers. The skin should be kept clean but, paradoxically, it shouldn’t be cleansed excessively as that may only stimulate the glands to produce more oils to replace those washed away by the act of cleaning. Washing with very hot water, harsh soaps or cleansers will not improve existing acne or prevent future flare-ups. In fact, these methods can dry and irritate your skin so badly that you will not be able to use effective acne medications in cream or gel form. Most topical acne medications have a drying effect on oily skin.

There is no real “cure” for oily skin. However, even though there is no way to completely prevent oily skin from occurring, these tips may help keep the oil and acne under control. Also check out all the online sites that offer skin care products; for example, Soft Surroundings. You’ll find additional helpful suggestions on how to deal with oily skin.

1. Avoiding oil-based cosmetics is another important step to take.

2. Topical treatments, such as acne or pimple creams, may help reverse an outbreak but there is no “cure” for oily skin.

3. Try a mild cleanser that cleanses without drying.

4. Do not use any oil-based cosmetics, which will only aggravate oily skin and create further blemishes.

5. Use water-based, non-comedogenic cosmetics.

6. Always remove your makeup before going to bed, but avoid cold creams and lotions, which may leave a greasy film on your skin.

7. Watch your diet. However, it is not chocolate or sweets that you need to watch, some doctors believe that an increased consumption of iodine aggravates acne, and they suggest reduction or elimination of fish and iodized salt.