OILY & ACNE SKIN

Oily & Acne Skin

41% of adult women and 85% of adolescents have oily skin.* Source IPSOS Europe. Oily skin is a common but often tricky cutaneous problem. It is the result of various dysfunctions which can conspire to cause a number of cutaneous symptoms: shiny skin, dull complexion, uneven skin texture, dilated pores, blocked pores or local outbreaks of blemishes.

Oily & Acne Skin:   

Signs:  The shine on your skin is persistent and recurrent. It is localized to a degree and reappears during the day.
What you observe:  You have a dull complexion, thickened skin, an uneven surface and blocked pores. "I've got a dingy complexion, an uneven skin texture. It makes me look older. "
"My skin looks kind of dirty, clogged up, and I've even got a few blackheads in places. I don't feel attractive."
Inside your skin:  An increased proliferation of the skin's keratinocytes leads to an accumulation of dead cells on the surface: a keratinous plug forms and it becomes more difficult for the excess sebum to be eliminated. The blocked pores give the skin an uneven look.

Talk to your dermatologist about it.
Why?  Oily skin occurs mainly due to hormones, because sebum production is directly influenced by male hormones, the androgens, and testosterone in particular.
However it is not necessarily caused by a surplus of androgenic (male) hormones, as has long been believed. Androgen receptors located under the skin can also over-react to the hormones and bind too much while the level of hormones itself remains normal.
Genetics may play a part in determining skin type. It seems that some skin is programmed to be oily, while other skin is programmed to be dry.
Stress and pollution also seem to have some responsibility for oily skin: local outbreaks of blemishes can be exacerbated by certain internal factors (menstrual cycles, stress, fatigue) and external factors (drugs, sun, unsuitable cosmetics). As for shine, this can be worsened by environmental factors (UV, pollution, etc.)

A good daily skincare routine:

Cleanse and remove makeup gently: Oily skin is a delicate kind of skin for which you need appropriate, extremely gentle cleansers and treatments. Here are a few tips to help you to adopt a good daily skincare routine
Moisturize and control shine:  Oily skin produces too much sebum, not too much water, so although it may look very shiny at times, it can suffer from dehydration.
Mattifying moisturizers specially designed for oily skin can help to reduce shine while hydrating the skin. Some products also contain sebum-regulating agents to reduce sebum production in the long term and thereby provide a lasting answer to shine.
Transform your skin texture:  Excessive sebum production can be accompanied by an irregular cell turnover. The dead cells then accumulate on the surface, resulting in blocked pores and the appearance of blemishes.
It is advisable to use an exfoliating product with a high tolerance factor, so that you can perform a delicate, targeted, non-irritant and non-drying exfoliation to transform and smooth the texture of your skin.
Tackle local blemishes:  Oily skin is prone to local outbreaks of blemishes which can occur at any moment.
When they appear, don't tamper with them because this could lead to permanent scars.
Apply suitable treatments instead, to help to shrink them faster and stop them from leaving scars.
Unify your complexion and camouflage little blemishes:  Far from being a mistake, wearing make-up can be an excellent way to remedy the blemishes that afflict oily skin. You need to choose non-comedogenic products which have been tested on acne-prone skin.
Protect yourself from the sun:  The sun aggravates acne because it thickens the corneal layer, leading to a proliferation of blemishes and a rebound effect after the period of exposure. Moreover, it deepens the pigmentation of recent scars making them more visible on untanned skin. Use sun protection products with a suitable texture for your skin.

La Roche-Posay Dermatologists answer your questions:

What is the best way to cleanse oily skin?
In spite of appearances, oily skin is delicate.
Abrasive cleansing which makes it feel clean and polished should be avoided, because it strips away too many lipids. The skin may react by producing extra sebum to rebuild the hydrolipidic film, making the oiliness reappear more quickly.
Always use cleansing products and toiletries with a physiological pH, which will help to remove dirt without irritating your skin.
Does oily skin need moisturizing?
Oily skin produces too much sebum, not too much water.
Therefore oily skin can suffer from dehydration too.
It needs to have moisturizer applied every day, to make it supple and comfortable. Effective moisturization will also help to defend itself from external threats. However you should always choose a non-comedogenic product.
Moisturizing can be particularly important if the skin is undergoing irritating dermatological treatments (based on drugs).
Can I expose myself to the sun? It seems to make my skin better.
The sun is a false friend to oily skin.
It's true that blemishes often disappear during exposure (ultra-violet rays have an anti-inflammatory effect), but tanning thickens the skin and pores are more likely to become blocked which can lead to an outbreak of blemishes when your vacation is over. This is generally called the "rebound effect".
It is therefore important to protect yourself whenever you go into the sun. Today there are fluid textures suitable for oily skin.
Can I use foundation?
Of course you can, and anyway, make-up can be very useful because it can help to hide imperfections and make the complexion look more even.
However, it is vital to choose products designed for oily skin: light and non-comedogenic textures.
How does chocolate influence my skin?
No scientific study has ever proved a link between chocolate and oily skin.
However, it is clear that diet affects the skin, regardless of its nature. A balanced diet including fruit and vegetables is recommendable.
Is stress a contributing factor to acne?
Yes, we know that stress aggravates an oily skin condition.
Stress releases neuromediators, chemical messages which carry information between the brain and organs. These stimulate the sebaceous glands and cause an increase in sebum synthesis.
I have got acne at 30
More and more women of your age are consulting dermatologists for this reason. Experts are trying to explain why this condition persists beyond adolescence.
Possible reasons for this phenomenon include: the new pace of life some women have to endure, stress, the pill and the hormonal disruptions it causes, but also later and later pregnancies or even pollution.
Can you remove these blemishes yourself?
Never. It is risky to tamper with blemishes, by either picking or squeezing them. This generally aggravates the situation and may leave scars.
Blemishes appear when I have my periods. What can I do?
Symptoms of oily skin coincide with fluctuations in hormonal secretions. In some women, blemishes can become more numerous before a period.
To prevent this from happening, you can apply an appropriate treatment one week before the period is due to start.

Solutions:
Complimentary cosmoceutical options:
Mattifying moisturizers specially designed for oily skin. Some are enhanced with sebum-regulating agents (Zinc, Vitamin CG, etc.) to help cut the excess sebum.
Uneven skin texture:
Tretinoin and derivatives: local treatments designed to combat hyperkeratinization.
Local blemishes:
Benzoyl peroxide/topical or oral antibiotics.
These reduce inflammation and curb the proliferation of bacteria.

Hormonal treatments like the anti-androgen pill. These reduce inflammation by lowering sebaceous secretions.

Isotretinoin.
Reserved for cases of severe and recurrent acne.
Unsightly scars resulting from oily skin:
The chemical peel :

A highly concentrated solution of chemical agents (fruit acids, glycolic acid, LHA, salicylic acid) is applied to the face by the dermatologist, to exfoliate a controlled layer of damaged epidermis and promote cell renewal. The depth of the peel depends on the agents used.
Talk to your dermatologist about it.
Laser resurfacing:
In laser resurfacing, sometimes called "laser peel," a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is used to remove areas of damaged or wrinkled skin, layer by layer. The procedure is most commonly used to minimize the appearance of fine lines, especially around the mouth and the eyes. However, it is also effective in treating facial scars or areas of uneven pigmentation. Laser resurfacing may be performed on the whole face or in specific regions. Often, the procedure is done in conjunction with another cosmetic operation, such as a facelift or eyelid surgery.