What is oily skin? It is an over production of oil from the sebaceous glands. Oily skin is the flip side of dry skin. It is definitely one of the more troublesome skin types. Oily skin a mile away because of the greasy shine it leaves on the face especially around the nose and forehead. The only benefit for those that have oily skin is that the skin ages at a slower rate. But usually it can be the source of problem skin like blemishes, acne, pimples and blackheads. Oily skin can be caused by the onset of puberty, heredity, pregnancy (because of hormonal imbalance), hot weather (humidity) and diet.

One important thing to do when the skin is oily is to keep it clean. Depending on how oily your skin is this can be about three times a day. Do not over wash to prevent excessive oil production in the skin. Use

plenty of hot water to help dissolve oils in the skin. Avoid heavy or thick cleansing creams and harsh soaps. Apply an antibacterial cleanser but without alcohol. Then apply an oil free moisturizing lotion to maintain flexibility and softness in the skin. The best times of day to apply moisturizer is at night then a bit in the morning especially around the eyes, mouth and throat.

To reduce extra facial shine and oiliness during the day apply a little witch hazel it will help absorb excess oil. Clay or mud mask treatments absorb excess oils.

For problems with patchy makeup use a little cucumber juice on problem areas of the face nose, chin and forehead.

Exfoliants and astringents with acetone are another way to help absorb extra oil on skin.

Diet

Diet has a great deal to do with how the skin looks. Be sure and get enough B2 vitamins. If you don’t take a multivitamin this may be a good time to start.

Stay away from animal fats in food. Use canola and olive oil in salads. Avoid or limit consumption of soda pop, alcohol, chocolate, sugar, fried and spicy foods.

The skin a very complex instrument; sensitive to changes in temperatures. Any extreme changes in heat or cold affect the skin. The skin contains sebaceous glands that produce sebum (the skin’s own natural oil) which coat the surface of the skin. Sebum can be found in high concentrations on the face and scalp. This protective oil coats the skin.

There is nothing more relaxing than a hot shower. But if you care about your skin you may want reconsider before you plunge ahead

Long hot showers strip the skin of natural oils causing dry skin. The hotter the water the more likely damage can occur; leading to burns or blisters. In some ways this is reminiscent to over exposure to the sun where burning and drying of the skin will increase proportional to exposure.

Diabetics who loose sensation in their feet will often use a hot water bottle to restore warmth. The lost of

sensation (diabetic neuropathy) can occur in other areas of the body and is due to nerve damage.

This can make them especially susceptible to skin damage, dryness, burns and infection. Because, the diabetic may not even know they have a blister or burn. So, dry skin is only half of your worries.

An interesting case in point was of a diabetic patient who sustain such burns when sleeping overnight with a hot water bottle to warm his feet.

To be on the safe side turn the tap down. Luke warm is better than hot. Be sure to always use a good moisturizer to restore moisture daily.

The impact of hormones can affect men and women in different ways. A primary example of this is acne. Women do not always develop acne during puberty but it can onset in the 20s or later.

Hormonal changes and the fertility cycle can trigger sudden outbreaks of acne in women. Premenstrual acne has often been attributed to high level of androgens because it regulates the production of oil in the sebaceous glands. High levels of androgens increase the risk of clogged pores with excess sebum.

Men and women develop different kinds of acne; but women find it more of a challenge getting rid of it.

During pregnancy, women are not allowed to take drugs because of the potential harmful effects it can have on the unborn child. For this reason topical treatments are applied to help alleviate unwanted acne.

Because birth control pills interfere with the hormonal cycle it has also been used as a means of treating problem acne.
ClearPores one of the newer methods for getting rid of acne has proven to be effective with the use of deep washes, pills and creams that clean your pores, kill bacteria and prevent future outbreaks