Do you suffer from acne and frequent breakouts because of excessive oil production within the skin?
When the sebaceous glands become overactive, they produce oil, called sebum, more than normal, causing build up and blockage within the pores of the skin, resulting in acne and breakouts, redness, and irritation.
But what causes the sebaceous glands to become overactive making them produce excessive oil, and how can we treat it?
Let's first address what may be causing excess oil production within the skin:
There are 3 categories that triggers can fall under, Internal factors and External factors.
Let's focus on the Internal factors:
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Higher Levels of Testosterone- Unfortunately, if your body is producing more testosterone than the average joe, it will also produce more oil than necessary- Same goes if you're taking steroid supplements for all you body builders out there
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Dehydrated skin- If you become sunburnt, this causes dehydrated skin- If you're not eating good fatty foods, this causes dehydrated skin- To compensate for the lack of moisture, your sebaceous glands will produce more oil than necessary
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High glycemic foods- Do you love sugary snacks such as donuts, chocolate, white bread, fried chicken? Unfortunately processed refined carbohydrates cause excessive oil production.
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Dairy products- Products such as cheese, skim or low fat milk, whey protein supplements, and ice-cream have all been linked to producing more oil.
Now let's focus on the External factors:
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Harsh cleaning chemicals such as soaps and shampoos or body washes
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You're not regularly cleansing your face and definitely not exfoliating.
So what remedies can we use to reduce oil production?
The first best thing you can do is look at your diet.
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Are you consuming more sugary foods than proteins and good fats? Are you going for deep-fried foods drenched in canola oil or packaged snacks that are highly processed and saturated in vegetable oils? Are you using more supplements than raw rich foods such as meats and vegetables and greek yoghurt?
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If you love your dairy products, it may be best to stick to full fat milk and yoghurts. You also have the almond, oat and coconut varieties of milks.
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Drink more water daily.
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Increase your Omega-3 Fatty Acids found in salmon, flaxseeds, walnuts. it's found to reduce inflammation and oil.
If you currently have a skin care routine:
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Use a gentle, oil-control cleanser, an oil-free moisturiser and exfoliate 2-3 times per week. And when going out in the sun, use an oil-free, non-comedogenic sunscreen.
If symptoms persist, you may need to receive professional treatments:
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Laser Treatments - Reduce oil gland activity and shrink pores.
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Chemical Peels (Salicylic Acid, TCA, or Jessner's Peel) - Deeply exfoliate, control oil, and unclog pores.
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Microneedling with Radiofrequency - Tightens pores and balances oil production over time.
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