This week I want to talk about oily skin, which seems to be a topic that we tend to avoid or protect under the phrase "combination skin", as it doesn't sound as bad as "oily skin".
First, it is important to determine if we have oily skin. To the touch, oily skin appears greasy and rough: the unevenness in texture is due to the presence of enlarged pores, often accompanied by acne and/or old scars left by acne.
How to recognize oily skin?
- We can do a simple test at home using a clean paper tissue or a fabric (silk or cotton) on the face, and apply it to an area where the sebaceous glands appear more numerous. If after removing it from the skin, the material has moist and greasy traces, it can be said that the skin is oily, but it is important to remember that oily skin affects the entire face of those who suffer from it.
- If, on the contrary, the skin is oily only in certain areas of the face (such as the forehead, nose, and chin, the so-called "T-zone"), while the rest of the areas (cheekbones, jawline, etc.) are characterized by particularly dry skin, then your skin will be classified as combination/mixed.
Why does this happen?
The origin of oily skin is an increased functionality of the sebaceous glands located in the deep dermis: it is the excess sebum concentrated in the superficial layers of the epidermis that gives the skin a greasy and unhealthy appearance. This condition, already problematic, can even worsen when following an unbalanced diet (both in terms of quantity and quality of food), medications, strong detergents, or when using skincare products that are not suitable for the person's skin type.
What can be done to improve it?
- Cleanse the skin gently. As can be easily assumed, oily skin needs to be thoroughly cleansed. What, on the other hand, not everyone knows is that for this purpose it is necessary to use only delicate detergents, so that they do not unnecessarily attack or irritate the skin, as otherwise counterproductive results would be obtained. The best results I have seen are with cleansing milks/creams without detergents.
- Eliminate bacteria. If the skin, in addition to being oily, has pimples or acne, the most appropriate advice is to use special detergents with bactericidal activity (natural antioxidants are essential in these formulas).
- Purify and normalize sebum production. Given the characteristics of oily skin and the tendency to manifest blackheads and acne, the use of treatments with a purifying and sebum-normalizing action can be useful. I like Epilobium extract. The flower contains large amounts of oenothein B, which is a polyphenol capable of reducing the excessive amount of sebum. For this purpose, clay face masks are also very effective.
- Natural remedies. Lotions based on essential oils are very suitable for improving the appearance of oily skin: my favorites are sage, lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, bergamot, cypress, tea tree, and mint. They have powerful antiseptic and astringent properties. However, it is advisable not to overdo the application of these products and to avoid DIY remedies.
- Choose the right treatment. It is important to choose the most appropriate cosmetic for your skin type. A cream for oily skin should combat overproduction of sebum, deeply moisturize, combat bacterial proliferation, and promote pore closure.
- Use sunscreen. Before sun exposure, it is always recommended to apply a generous layer of sunscreen. In fact, the skin reacts to UV radiation by increasing its thickness, thus facilitating the formation of blackheads (whiteheads/blackheads).
What not to do.
- Aggressively attack the skin. Oily skin should not be over-nourished, but neither should it be attacked with overly irritating skincare products. Many commercial soaps designed to treat this skin type eventually dry out the skin, and it is well studied that the sebaceous glands react to this by increasing sebum production (typical rebound effect). Therefore, it is better to focus on products specifically for oily skin, which generally have a relatively low pH (4.5-5.5).
- Wash too frequently. To avoid worsening the appearance of the skin, it is advisable to avoid washing it too frequently (no more than 2 to 3 times a day).
- It is well known, in fact, that excessively frequent washing – as well as the aggressive cleansing mentioned above – diminishes the lipid components of the hydrolipidic film that protects the skin. Due to this phenomenon, therefore, the sebaceous glands react by increasing sebum production, resulting in the inevitable deterioration of the clinical picture of oily skin.
That said, not washing the skin at all is also bad.
- Use products without rinsing. Oily skin (as well as combination skin) does not like so-called "no-rinse cleansers": in fact, the prolonged stay of these substances on the skin worsens the disorder because it clogs the follicles.
- Pollutants tend to adhere to the superficial epidermal layers, making them more oily and greasy. For this reason, it is advisable to avoid excessively polluted environments.