5 Some Major Causes Of Oily Skin

At some point in your life, most of us will experience a bout of oily skin. Although it is a skin problem that is more attributed to adolescence, brought on by hormonal fluctuations, oily skin can still persist into adulthood.

So what can cause your sebaceous glands to start producing more oil? Well, unfortunately, a number of factors can influence a bout of oily skin, some of which directly relate to your diet and lifestyle, whilst others may be outside of your control. As always, though, it’s useful to identify any triggers so you have the best chance of possibly predicting when an outbreak will occur or what you can do to treat it.

* Genetics

I’ll start first with the trigger that is completely beyond your control – your genes. Unfortunately, it’s possible that you may simply have inherited your oily skin from your parents and naturally have larger sebaceous glands which are capable of producing more oil. This is perhaps the most frustrating cause on this list as none of us can change our DNA, but the good news is that it is still possible to manage oily skin with lifestyle, diet and herbal remedies.

* Hormones

There’s a reason that oily skin first starts appearing during puberty and it’s all to do with your hormones. Let’s start with androgens, male sex hormones that exist in both men and women. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), is a type of androgen which can stimulate your sebaceous glands, inspiring them to release more sebum oil. Unfortunately, as I’ve already mentioned, your levels of DHT can be dependent on your genes, but your levels of androgens can also be influenced by hormonal fluctuations around your menstrual cycle, including your period, menopause and pregnancy.

* Stress

Stress can have a huge impact on your body and your skin is definitely no exception. When you experience stress, your nervous system will immediately be launched into ‘fight or flight’ mode and your levels of hormones such as cortisol will increase. Cortisol can increase your production of sebum oil so if you are going through a stressful period, you may experience a bout of oily skin. Stress can also weaken your skin’s protective barrier and impair its ability to retain moisture, making you more exposed to pathogens and bacteria.

* Poor diet

‘You are what you eat’ isn’t just a saying, it’s very much a fact. Certain foods such as dairy products, refined carbohydrates and sugar can affect your blood sugar levels, which will have a knock on effect on your production of sebum oil and even your hormones. Fortunately, changing your diet can be a very effective way of managing your symptoms and there are foods out there that may help.

* Cosmetics

How you look after your skin can affect your oily skin symptoms and what cosmetics you use can have a big impact. Ingredients such as mineral oil, paraffin, lanolin and artificial fragrances can exacerbate your symptoms and irritate your skin, resulting in an outbreak of spots. It’s always best to cleanse you face regularly with natural, organic skincare products and to use light layers of make-up to avoid clogging your pores.