While the skin must produce oils in order to function at its best, sometimes the skin produces too much oil, also known as sebum. Oily skin is usually caused by hormones, meaning that as a person ages and hormonal levels decrease, the effects will become less noticeable. Pores are enlarged and are more prone to becoming clogged, blemishes are more common and the skin appears thick and sallow. Simply exfoliating or otherwise drying out the skin will only cause the skin to increase its oil production, thereby exacerbating the situation.
Characteristics of Oily Skin
• Skin appears thick, shiny and dull
• Enlarged pores
• Pimples and other blemishes appear
• Skin is prone to blackheads
• Skin may feel tight
Reasons Oily Skin Occurs
• Genetics play a large role in deciding if you have oily skin, as only some people experience oily skin after their teenage years.
• Diets high in sugars, salts, fats, oils, alcohol and chocolate, or deficient in fruits, vegetables, proteins and vitamin B2 can produce oily skin.
• Hormone levels, for whatever reason, be it puberty, pregnancy, birth control pills or stress, can all lead to oily skin.
• Various cleansers that strip away or otherwise unbalance the protective layer’s equilibrium can leave the skin needing to produce too much oil.
• Humid and hot weather can also draw too much water out of the skin, making the skin think it needs to produce more oil in order to compensate.
