How should men deal with oily skin?

Publish date: 2022-12-25

There's a big difference between oily skin and well-moisturized skin. One looks supple and kissable. The other looks like a mini oil slick took up residence on your face, especially around your nose, forehead and chin (also known as the T-zone). To tame the ooze and give yourself a healthier exterior, there are some things you should know about skin in general and oily skin in particular.

Oily skin isn't the result of yesterday's greasy burger. It can occur and persist for a number of reasons. Oil glands in your body produce a compound called sebum. When you produce too much sebum, it can clog your pores (the small openings in your skin) and create problems like acne. The term "blemish" sounds too dainty to describe those upheavals that can cause redness, swelling and significant localized discomfort. If you leave acne alone, it may linger for weeks or months. If you go the do-it-yourself route and attack individual pimples by squeezing them, they can become infected and leave deep, permanent scars.

If you're a big oil producer, just keeping your skin clean may not be enough to avoid blemishes. That's the bad news. The good news is that you can attack the problem from a number of different angles. Before you start blaming your genes for that date-night zit the size of a beach ball, let's learn a little more about some important factors that can contribute to oily skin.

Finding the Source of Oily Skin

You have more oil glands in your T-zone -- the area that extends across your forehead, down your nose and includes your chin -- than in other places on your body. If your skin is oily, you'll notice a sheen, occasional blemishes and even full blown acne in these areas. It's easy to think of the oil produced by your skin as the enemy, but you'd be in much worse shape without it. It helps to keep your skin protected from the elements and is important for maintaining a healthy acid balance, a pH range that keeps most types of damaging bacteria under control. When you produce too much of a good thing, though, there may be a combination of factors involved:

Although the items listed above are biggies when it comes to causing oily skin, there may be other contributing factors, too. You skin is the largest organ in your body -- well, on your body. It's affected by almost everything you do. Sun exposure, stress, smoking, drinking and not getting enough sleep may all contribute to oily skin problems. Before you decide you can't have nice skin and a normal life, too, consider moderation and a common sense approach to skin care. Wear sunscreen, clean your skin regularly with a mild cleanser and explore some products and approaches that will remove excess oil gently.

Did You Know?

If you think you sweat a lot in hot weather, you may be right. On a hot day, the human body can release up to four gallons (15.14 liters) of sweat as a form of natural air conditioning [source: Fox Sports News].

Choosing Skin Care Products for Men With Oily Skin

If it's hard to see yourself as the kind of guy who invests precious minutes twice a day on skin care, consider it insurance. Healthy skin looks younger longer. When you factor in shaving and all those sun worshipping activities you fill your weekends with, doesn't your skin deserve a little pampering? Don't wait until you're 40 to decide you should have done something about getting your skin into better shape. You probably already know acne isn't remotely sexy. Acne scars won't do much for you, either, and they can be permanent.

There are products on the market today that approach the problem of oily skin in different ways. Some require a prescription while others are over-the-counter easy:

Oily skin isn't fatal, but it can be embarrassing and set you up for repeated bouts of acne -- or worse. Most over-the-counter preparations are less concentrated than their prescription counterparts, and you may be on the right track with one of the methods above but just need something stronger. But, if you've tried one without success, consider visiting a day spa for a professional skin evaluation or consult a dermatologist.

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