Topics

• health
• nutrition
• treatments
• cosmetics
• cosmetic surgery
• professionals
• more topics

Featured article

What causes oily skin and can it be prevented?

How to stop the acne and blackheads caused by oily skin

Author: Sadhivm March 6 2007

Oily skin can cause a number of problems including acne and blackheads. It can also be particularly unsightly and can cause embarrassment to you if you suffer from it. So what exactly causes it and how can it be prevented?

The Causes of Oily Skin

There are a number of factors though to contribute towards oily skin and it is usually more apparent in teenagers as their hormones change. However, as well as hormones, it can also sometimes be hereditary, down to the cosmetics which you use, or it could even be down to the contraceptive pill. Generally it can occur at any age, but usually skin tends to become dryer the older that you are.Oil is created by the Sebaceous glands and they are usually bigger around the nose area. In teenagers especially, Androgens are the hormones responsible for creating too much oil, which then leads to acne in many people. Oily skin often clogs the pores and that is what causes acne, not the actual oil itself.

Proper Treatment and Care of Oily Skin

There are a number of ways which you can help to keep oil levels to a minimum and these include:

article continued

Advertisement

Cleansing the Face

Cleansing the face will often help to unclog the pores and reduce the amount of dirt on the face, therefore eliminating or at least helping to reduce acne and blemishes. However, it is important not to wash in very hot water or particularly harsh soaps and cleansers as this will usually make the problem worse. Usually all store bought acne treatments have a drying effect on oily skin so they are definitely worth checking out.

Avoid Oil Based Products

If you have oily skin the last thing you need is to add extra oil to the skin. Some moisturizers and cleansers often have oil in them which is better suited to dryer skin. Also, some cosmetics are oilbased and they will only aggravate the skin if used. Always read the label and seek professional advice if you are unsure of how much oil a product has in it.

Always Remember to Take Your Make Up Off At Night

Obviously this does not really apply to you men, but women often forget to take their make up off, or they simply ignore it and leave it on because they cannot be bothered to remove it. Whilst it may seem harmless enough, make up clogs up the skin and can cause the body to produce more oil.

Always Try To Relax

There is definitely a link between stress and oily skin, so always do your best to relax. Androgens produce a lot more oil when the body is stressed which inevitably leads to oily skin! You do not even have to be suffering from mental stress, physical stress such as colds, allergies and menstruation can all be contributing factors to oily skin.

There are various different treatments available which are specially developed to clear up oily skin. Benzyl Peroxide is one of the best as it works in two different ways. Firstly it attacks the bacteria which are a leading cause of acne, and then it also peels off dead skin cells inside the hair follicles which keep the plugs from forming.

Overall, be careful not to clog your pores up further with heavy duty moisturizing creams, and oil based cosmetics. Most acne treatments are great for eliminating oily skin, and a change in your diet could also do you good. If you are still unsure as to what is causing your oily skin you could always talk to your doctor and see what they advice.

If you are a woman and you are taking the contraceptive pill, it is worth finding out if that is contributing in any way to your oily skin. There could be many different reasons why you are getting oily skin, but know that you are not alone, and it is treatable, even if it does take a couple of months!

Related Articles:

• Acne treatments - top nine remedies