Skincare Tips for Oily Skin by Dr. Harold Lancer

Each skin type has its own challenges but having oily skin can be very frustrating. It is hard to control oily skin because of hormone fluctuations, changing weather and the level of activities you do in a day. Due to oily skin, you may have shiny skin, makeup that slides off and clogged or enlarged skin pores. In-spite of using different “mattifying” products to control oil, the best way to manage oily skin is to indulge in proper skincare routine. While managing excess oil on your skin, you need to be careful that you do not over dry your skin. A certain amount of healthy oils are necessary for maintaining skin health and retaining its moisture. Using over-drying or irritating products can cause itching, dryness, redness and might also lead to chronic acne and other skin conditions. Also, eliminating healthy oils from the skin might also lead to even greater production of oil and clogged skin pores.

It is important to know what causes oily skin to initiate the treatment for oily skin. Oily skin can be due to genetic factors or due to irritation in the nerve endings within the base of skin pores. This leads to excess oil secretion. The irritation in the nerve endings might be due to stress, harsh cleansers or soaps, hormone fluctuations, and free radicals in the surrounding.

The first step to treat an oily skin is to exfoliate or polish your skin properly. Dr. Harold Lancer does not recommend harsh exfoliants which can damage your skin and might lead to even more oil secretion, irritation, redness, or hyperpigmentation. The ideal exfoliant will gently cleanse your skin and get rid of excess oil, bacteria or dirt that might be clogging your skin pores. Dr. Lancer believes that an ideal exfoliant must contain salicylic acid along with a natural ingredient such as sugar, apricot or papaya.

Once you have chosen the exfoliant, you must cleanse the skin. The cleanser should be able to remove the remaining dirt, exfoliation debris, and excess oil without stripping off the necessary oils from the skin. No residue must be left because it might lead to clogged pores and skin irritation. You should avoid cleansers containing alcohol because alcohol might over-dry your skin leading to excess oil secretion and frequent breakouts. Dr. Lancer recommends a cleanser with salicylic acid which can thoroughly cleanse the skin without dehydrating it. Use warm water to cleanse your face and avoid using hot water as it might cause skin irritation and redness.

Many dermatologists recommend using a toner to minimize pore size and remove residual makeup traces. However, Dr. Lancer advises not to over use toner, as it might cause excess skin dryness and irritation. Toner’s excessive drying properties might even lead to greater oil secretion and acne breakouts.

Next is to choose a suitable moisturizer which provides required hydration and nourishment to your skin. Despite the belief that it is not important to moisturize an oily skin, you must necessarily moisturize it. You may vary the amount of moisturizer that you apply on various body parts depending on the oiliness in that part. Using a lightweight moisturizer that gets absorbed in your skin without making it look greasy is the best option. Choosing the right and a lightweight moisturizer is crucial for your skincare regimen.

Dr. Lancer recommends use of lightweight broad spectrum sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen for preventing skin damage due to UV rays. There are several options available which also act as a makeup primer. You must use a sunscreen with SPF of 30 or more.

You will experience a sheen on your skin once you have started religiously following your skincare routine. Oil blotting papers are another option to remove excess oil from your skin. Just press the oil blotting papers on the oily areas and keep it there for around 20 seconds. Remove the paper and discard it. This can be a quick fix to all your oily skin woes. Dr. Lancer also recommends using light weight makeup or mousse foundations for preventing clogging of the skin pores and acne breakouts. Using greasy, oily, heavy, and waxy makeup products might cause more skin problems. And be sure of removing makeup before sleeping. Following these skincare tips will surely help you in dealing with an oily skin.