Oily Skin Care - 12 Ways to Reduce Excess Sebum

Do you suffer from overactive sebaceous glands? That is, oily, shiny skin, and large greasy-looking pores and blackheads? If so, you need to educate yourself in effective oily skin care. We'll provide you some solid guidelines that you will be able to follow to control this annoying skin condition and improve the way you look and feel.

What causes your skin to become oily? Well, simply put, the sebaceous glands in your skin are producing more sebum (oil) than they should. Like most skin disorders, there is usually some kind of imbalance in your body that causes this to happen.

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Many skin disorders are inherited. Other factors that can cause your skin to produce too much sebum include hormonal shifts, improper diet, humidity, heat, certain cosmetics, birth control pills, and pregnancy. Proper oily skin care will help manage and correct this disorder.

Many adolescents and teenagers undergoing hormonal changes seem to bear the brunt of this undesirable condition. But the young are not alone. Though aging brings with it a decrease in the production of sebum, which causes our skin to become more dry, many adults continue to have oily skin, if to a lesser degree than when they were young. The hormonal imbalances that occur in pregnant and menopausal women can stimulate the sebaceous glands into over-excreting sebum, leading to oily complexions.

Effective oily skin care is not difficult to practice. Here are twelve things you can do to improve your condition:

Wash your skin with warm or tepid - not hot, not cold - water and use a pure, gentle cleanser containing no additives and no alcohol. Wash two or three times a day. Washing too often can lead to an overreaction of the sebaceous glands, resulting in the production of more oil.
Use oil-free (noncomedogenic) moisturizers and sunscreen to keep your skin supple and reduce the excess shinyness. (People under 30 will not require moisturizers if they have excessively oily skin.)
Use a deep-cleaning exfoliant if you have scaly oily skin. (Try using every other night followed by a light touch of oil-free moisturizer.)
Adequate hydration is an important component of oily skin care. Drink lots of clean water regularly to keep your skin hydrated and to flush out toxins.
Reduce intake of sugars, salt, chocolate, and fried foods. Avoid cooking with any oils.
Avoid carbonated beverages and reduce alcohol consumption.
Eat low-fat, protein-rich foods, whole grains, fresh fruits and leafy green vegetables.
Smart, effective oily skin care and smoking do not go together. Find a way to stop smoking. Smoking causes pores to enlarge and harms the skin, among other of your body's organs.
Take a good complete multi-vitamin suitable for your sex and age so that you are not deficient in iron, B2, and all other essential vitamins and minerals.
Use only facial care products and cosmetics that are designed specifically for oily skin.
Practice common sense good skin care basics for overall skin health and take care of your mind, body and spirit.
Try a number of all natural skin care techniques and see which ones work best for you. (Find more information on our website; see link below in author's block.)

Some people have what's known as combination skin, whereby certain areas of the skin are oily and others are dry. Interestingly, oily skin ages more slowly than other types of skin. That means fewer wrinkles! Just the same, too much sebum, as we know, is not too much of a good thing.

There is no mystery to effective oily skin care. The guidelines and suggestions provided above, and the additional tips available at EnjoyBetterSkin.com will go a long way in reducing the incidence of greasiness, blackheads, and large pores, making you feel fresher and cleaner, and improving your appearance.

Oily Skin Care - 12 Ways to Reduce Excess Sebum

Melanie Belles writes extensively about how to attain better skin. Visitors to her website find practical tips and methods for making their skin look and feel young and attractive. Check out Melanie's all natural skin care tips and skin care product reviews.