I'm going to tell you now, if you don't already know
i saw this article that talks about oily skin struggles on seventeen's website one day even though i don't have overly oily skin. i do have friends who deal with oily skin and they just never seem to be able to balance their skin issues, so i can sort of resonate with what's written in that article! two points stood out to me in particular.
"You wash your face at 7 am, and look like a grease ball by 9 am."
"You buy oil-free lotion that promises to reduce shine, but you’re still oily 5 minutes later."
so here's an entry to address those issues, hopefully it's something new and useful for you when you learn to treat your own skin issues!
1. overly oily skin is a deviation from normal skin and should be considered a health concern.
i know i've mentioned this before when i was talking about skin care for dry skin, but in case you didn't read that, i'll reiterate again - our skin is definitely a reflection of our internal health. any deviation is a sign to start taking care of your health.
sebum production is influenced by a series of mechanisms, one of which involves androgens (the sex hormones!). there are many things that can affect the production of androgens within our body, which means it will indirectly affect sebum production as well. for example, thyroid insufficiency or over activity will stimulate different responses in sebum production. [source: PubMed]
before treating oily skin from the outside, it's also wise to see what you're putting into your body that caused all these.
2. sebum itself is not the enemy.
even normal skin produce sebum. the key is the amount produced - excessive sebum can cause a problem like increasing the chances of getting clogged pores and acne, but getting rid of ALL sebum is only going to aggravate the situation.
why? because our body seeks to maintain balance through a series of feedback loops. if you remove all the oils, your body will know because you'll lose more water. to reduce water loss, it'll secrete sebum. the larger the spike in water loss, the more sebum will be secreted.
i feel like the cosmetic and beauty industry have caused panic and fear in the general public when they insinuated that sebum is BAD. people end up avoiding oils, which is exactly what they SHOULD BE USING especially after stripping their skin of oils! no wonder people complain about a greasy face even after following the suggested skincare routines touted to deal with oily skin.
oil free moisturizer is a really bad idea because if you do not replenish the oils you've removed, your skin will replenish its stores to your dismay.
you skin is saying "how dare you steal my oils!? TAKE THIS!!!" and proceed on to secreting even more oils with a vengeance.
3. the number 1 cause of overly oily skin is dehydrated skin
unless you have a genetic defect/hormonal imbalance/other hidden reasons that causes you to produce more than usual. just that people with oily skin have a tendency to produce oils to combat that dryness instead of letting the skin crack up and bleed. as such, you may realize that a lot of the causes of overly oily skin mirror those of dry skin.
this is quite contrary to popular belief!
face wash usually dry the skin out as they can be quite harsh. the removal of sebum will increase water loss through our skin. sebum is a waxy substance that act as a protective barrier, keeping water in our skin.
it's actually okay to wash your face, in fact, it's best to wash it after a long day outside because there'll be lots of dust and pollutants stuck onto our faces. just make sure you moisturize and return the oils to your skin afterwards!
4. oil-free creams will only aggravate your oily skin in the long run. on the other hand, oils are good for your skin.
how so? because you keep stripping your skin of its oils and fail to replenish it with an oily cream. your skin will take matters into its own hands and produce sebum - an excessive amount.
if you're adventurous, experiment with facial oils, especially those that is quickly absorbed by the skin if you're afraid of stickiness. rosehip oil and argan oil are known to be fast absorbing. not all oils are slick and heavy as we are commonly led to believe.
otherwise, you can also choose a cream that contains oils. the lighter texture may be in your favour, but it is still able to replenish some oils in your skin, helping to reduce water loss, which will eventually reduce your sebum production as your skin is able to seal in the moisture.
what a way to trick our sebaceous glands!
IN A NUTSHELL
that's 4 things i can think of currently! i'm always in awe how the beauty industry lead people to believe that oil is the enemy. don't you feel they're sometimes making things worse so you can keep buying their products? if their products were really that effective at combating oily skin, shouldn't we see people using the products only for a short period of time, until their oily skin become less oily?
yet people are complaining about a greasy face mere minutes after washing their face.
ever more absurd: no one finds it odd that their skin only gets increasingly oily in the long run. of course aging, diet and overall health plays a part too. but using the wrong skin care can aggravate situations as well.
if you still have any queries about oily skin that's unanswered, feel free to leave me a comment below!
title photo credit: wallalay wallpaper
No comments:
Post a Comment