Your sebaceous glands produce sebum, an oily or waxy substance that moisturizes and protects your skin and hair. Oily skin happens when your glands produce too much sebum, which can lead to a greasy surface, clogged pores, and acne.
There are many reasons for oily skin, including stress, humidity, genetics, and fluctuating hormones.
Androgens are the hormones mostly responsible for oil production, and sometimes they can fluctuate, stimulating an increase in sebum production. This often happens during puberty, just before menstruation, during pregnancy and during menopause.
While you don't necessarily grow out of oily skin, your skin will indeed produce less sebum as you age. Aging skin loses protein, such as collagen, and the sebaceous glands slow down. This is why many people who have aging skin also have dry skin.
Will Oily Skin Go Away on Its Own? Since two of the main hormonal causes of oily skin are puberty and adolescence, some people see their oily skin fade with time, especially after puberty. Unfortunately, that's not the case for everyone.
Sebum keeps your skin moisturized, so you don't crack or blister easily. That moisture is healthy, but some people produce more natural oil than their body needs, and that's when it starts to be a problem. Besides shininess, you might notice that you feel greasy only an hour or two after showering or washing your face.
Drinking ample water balances the oil and water content on the skin of your face. This helps to prevent excess oil and sebum secretion, which means fewer clogged pores and acne. Adult acne is getting more common these days due to busy lifestyles and lack of hydration.
How often should you wash if you have oily or acne-prone skin? The urge to overcleanse is common in those with oily or acne-prone skin. There's no need to wash the face more than twice a day. In fact, doing so may dry out your skin.
Oily skin is often viewed as a problem that needs to be solved. But while excess oil production can lead to concerns, like acne or having a difficult time keeping makeup in place, there's nothing inherently "bad" with having this type of complexion. In fact, oil actually helps keep your skin healthy.
If you're want to improve the appearance of the oily skin or struggle with acne at any age, feel free to schedule an appointment at one of our offices in Bradenton or Lakewood Ranch. Our dermatologists will give you a detailed consultation and effective treatment to improve your skin health and appearance.
The reality is oily skin ages just the same as other skin types. However, it may have a smoother appearance and natural glow because of the amount of sebum (oil) produced. On the flip side, oilier skin is prone to getting acne (even as an adult) and seborrhea, which is excessively oily skin condition.
Your face is shiny and usually appears greasy later on in the day. Makeup doesn't stay on and seems to “slide” off. The oilier areas of your face have blackheads, pimples or other types of acne. Pores are visibly enlarged, especially on your nose, chin and forehead.
The type of skin you have can provide a good guideline for how often you should generally wash your face: Oily Skin twice a day, morning and night. Regular washing helps keep oil from getting trapped in your pores and causing blemishes. Dry Skin – usually once a day, preferably at night when it's at its dirtiest.
Editor's tip: If your skin gets oily quickly, you may be tempted to wash your face multiple times a day. However, this will do more harm than good. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you should only wash your face twice a day (and after sweating heavily).
“If you have extremely oily or acne prone skin, cleansing in the morning with a gentle cleanser can help reduce oil,” explains Carlen.
Using a clean, soft washcloth is effective for cleaning your face, but unless you use a new one every day, you should probably stick with using your hands to scrub, Dr. Green says. Also, ideally, you should change the towel you use to dry your face every couple of days to keep bacteria at bay, adds Dr. Gohara.
Use a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser that does not contain alcohol. Wet your face with lukewarm water and use your fingertips to apply cleanser. Resist the temptation to scrub your skin because scrubbing irritates the skin. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry with a soft towel.