Can the Cause of Oily Facial Skin Be Controlled or Solved?

What causes oily skin? What can be done about it? Can it be controlled? Even cured? Is there a solution for oily facial skin? These are questions that you need the answer to. You'll learn a lot about your skin as you read this article. First, let's look at the purpose of the oil and how it is produced.

What's the Oil Good For?

The oil, referred to as sebum, is produced by the skin's sebaceous glands and serves several purposes. It is composed primarily of fatty acids obtained from the diet. It works to hold moisture in the skin's cells. It provides lubrication, which helps to prevent cuts and scrapes.

Why Do Some People Have Oily Skin While Others Have Dry Skin?

In order for the skin to feel neither oily nor dry, sebum production must be balanced. The difference in people's skin can be seen as an imbalance. An overproduction of sebum causes oiliness. An underproduction causes dryness.

What Causes an Over-Production of Sebum?

There are several different things that can cause the sebaceous glands to produce an excessive amount of oil. The first one is a natural part of growing up.

Hormones produced during puberty stimulate the hair-producing follicles and the sebaceous glands. It is usually during puberty that a person starts to notice an excessively oily feeling. The excessive production of oil contributes to acne, a problem experienced by almost all teenagers.

The stimulation of the follicles and glands can also cause inflammation. When the follicles and glands located within the pores of the skin become swollen, it can lead to a pimple.

When people notice that their skin feels excessively oily, they have a tendency to wash their faces more often. Sometimes, the washing is excessive. Some of the cleansers recommended for oily skin strip away too much sebum. Excessive washing and the use of harsh cleansers can cause a rebound effect, simply stimulating the glands to produce more protective sebum.

What are Some Other Causes of an Oily Feeling?

Living or working in humid environment can cause the skin to feel oily, although the cause is probably not excessive production of sebum. Usually, the cause is increased perspiration due to the warmth of the environment. The perspiration makes the skin look shiny or oily.

Many shampoos, conditioners, bath washes and lotions contain a crude oil derivative called petrolatum or mineral oil. That ingredient will cause a shiny appearance and an oily feeling.

Working in a kitchen or in another oily environment may cause the skin to feel excessively oily, although the oil is from an external source. There is not actually an increased production of sebum.

Is Diet a Factor?

Some people think that eating greasy foods contributes to oily skin. That is unlikely. While some foods may contribute to inflammation, hormonal imbalances and acne, they are not believed to contribute to excessive sebum production. A lack of essential fatty acids in the diet could cause dry skin, because the body would be unable to produce sebum without the fatty acids. But fatty acid deficiency is a rare problem in industrialized societies, seen only in malnourished infants and people with anorexia.

One thing that might happen when you eat greasy foods is that the oil from the foods is transferred to your hands and then to your face. It's similar to what would happen if you worked in an oily environment.