How do I manage oily skin?

Do you have oily, dull skin? Does your skin look shiny and greasy? Do you constantly have blackheads on your nose and chin?

Then we're talking about seborrhea, i.e., oily skin. It is further divided into two types, seborrhea oleosa (oily sebum flow) and seborrhea sicca (oily-dry). Like your skin type, your skin's appearance is genetically determined, but you can improve it significantly with suitable cosmetic products, a good skincare routine, nutrition, and lifestyle.

With oily skin, the skin produces an excess of oil. Oil (sebum) is actually a useful mixture of lipids that protects our skin from environmental influences (sun, wind, weather, heat, cold, etc.). Sebum also protects against drying out and keeps the skin supple.

However, oily skin often has an unattractive shine, tends to look dull, is often thicker than normal skin, and is more prone to blemishes, inflammation, and keratinization disorders. But why is that? Individual sebaceous glands become clogged due to the overproduction, the sebum can no longer drain properly, and bacteria multiply rapidly. Microorganisms do break down the components of the sebum, but the resulting fatty acids cause inflammation and pustules, comedones (blackheads), and in the worst case even acne.

But you can do something about it! You can improve your skin's appearance and help prevent comedones and other blemishes from forming by:

• getting regular professional extractions
• using peels (e.g., enzyme peels or fruit acid treatments)
• cleansing your skin morning and evening with an antibacterial cleansing gel
• using a toner that restores the skin's pH (the ideal value is 5.5)
• using anti-inflammatory serums
• using emulsion-based moisturizers or gels that are as oil-free as possible and don't leave your skin greasy.
• And don't forget to use sunscreen. Today there are extra-light sunscreens and gels that still have SPF 50

That all sounds like a lot at first, but if you have a good, regular skincare routine at home and an esthetician you trust, you'll not only get the skin you want, you'll also quickly get used to the new routine.

A small consolation: oily skin ages more slowly, stays firm longer, and forms wrinkles later!

We're happy to discuss individual skincare concepts with you, even for oily problem skin, and to develop the right beauty program for you.

Your team at Skinthetics Cosmetics