All skin types have their pros and cons, this is a look at the disadvantages of oily skin.

The disadvantages of having oily skin include excessive sebum on the skin, excessive shine, a more greasy looking face, sensitivity to comedogenic ingredients (ingredients that clog the skin and cause breakouts) and the need to wash your skin more frequently. On the upside having oily skin keeps your skin moisturized and plump.

There are a couple of disadvantages to having oily skin that you might want to know about.

It’s necessary to know what skin type you have because it helps you choose the correct products for your skin type.

All skin types have ups and downs, this article looks at the disadvantages of oily skin. This will also help you figure out what oily skin is and how to handle it

Disadvantages of oily skin

There are many types of skin and they all have their advantages and their disadvantages.

The different skin types are oily, dry, normal and combination skin. Sensitive skin can be a skin condition you can have in addition to these skin types.

Having oily skin isn’t a train smash, it has its advantages. These include having more youthful-looking skin in the long run, and other beneficial traits but that will be left for another article.

This article describes what oily skin is and what the disadvantages are.

What is oily skin?

Every person’s skin differs in regards to what amount of oil the skin produces. This skin oil (sebum) is needed by the skin in order to stay healthy, happy, moisturised and supple.

Oily skin is a skin type where the sebaceous glands of the skin produce too much sebum. This results in your skin being quite shiny, wet-looking and prone to acne, it also means that your skin is thicker and more supple.

The opposite of this is skin that produces too little sebum, this is dry skin.

If you find that you have oily skin and you don’t treat it correctly then you can get a lot of breakouts. This can happen when the dead skin cells combine with excess sebum and clog up your pores.

This results in blemishes in the form of whiteheads. If the whiteheads come into contact with oxygen they turn into blackheads. If bacteria enters the clog and it becomes infected the clog turns into pus, this is known as a pimple.

Disadvantages of oily skin:

Oily skin can cause issues when it comes to appearance and confidence. Both men and women of all ages experience this. More issues can include:

Excess sebum

The sebum on the skin is both an advantage and a disadvantage.

It’s an advantage because it will keep your skin looking youthful, radiant and you will age slower.

It is a disadvantage because it is one of the elements that will cause you to have breakouts, shiny skin, visible pores and thick skin.

Note that not everyone with acne has oily skin. But everyone with oily skin will develop acne.

Shine:

This is quite a disadvantage, no one wants to look like they have tonnes of Vaseline on their face.

This is not a lovely, dewy shine that makes you look like you’re well moisturized, it’s harsher and gets even more harsh as you go about your day.

This article will help you manage the excess oil on your skin.

Sensitivity to comedogenic products:

Finding the correct skincare products that won’t clog up your face can be difficult. Ingredients that are comedogenic will clog up your skin and cause breakouts very easily and quickly.

These can include coconut oil, coconut butter, beeswax, cocoa butter, cottonseed oil, mineral oil, sesame oil, sweet almond oil, avocado oil and more.

The acne caused by these products will be less red, painful and intense than those caused by diet but the acne will still be an issue.

These quick (but temporary) products will help you get rid of pimples fast. Comedogenic oils can also be found in face moisturizers, sunscreens face washes and makeup.

Good oils to use on your oily skin include jojoba oil, it is the closest oil to sebum so it won’t clog your pores.

The jojoba oil will replace sebum and your skin won’t be triggered to produce sebum.

Other good options to use are sunflower and safflower oil.  This is a good jojoba oil

More frequent washes

This is a catch 22, you need to wash your face to get rid of the excess oil on your skin but you shouldn’t wash your face too often because the washing can be over-drying and cause your glands to produce more sebum making you more oily.

What you need to do is know is the balance your skin needs. People with dry skin can afford to forget to skip washing their face but people with oily skin can’t. 

This is especially true if you have makeup on your skin.

What should you do about your oily skin?

It is necessary to use products that are specifically made for oily skin to avoid the product from reacting badly on your skin.

This article will help you find the best routine for oily skin so you can achieve clear beautiful skin.

It is generally not possible to get rid of your oily skin forever because you cannot change the makeup of your skin but you can manage it.

Hyaluronic acid is great for oily skin, learn more about how here.

Is it bad to have oily skin?

No, no skin type is bad to have. All skin types have their good and their not so good points.

You just have to know what your skin needs and be able to maintain your skin in order for you to have beautiful skin regardless of your skin type.

Any skin type can be a pain if not treated correctly.

Is oily skin good for ageing?

Having oily skin is good for ageing in some respects. There is a stereotype that oily skin will fare the best when it comes to ageing.

There are many changes associated with ageing, these include the presence of wrinkles, pigmentation enlarged pores, thinner skin and broken blood vessels.

Having oily skin doesn’t prevent the formation of wrinkles, wrinkles form as a result of the low production of collagen and the breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin.

These two components are what keeps your skin looking bouncy and young.

A great thing is that oily skin offers is more moisturised plump looking skin, that is why the wrinkles may not be as apparent but you can still develop them.

The oily thicker skin is great padding for wrinkles.

You may have more wrinkles in the lower parts of the face because you have fewer oil glands in that area.

In addition, regardless of what skin type you have you can age faster because of your lifestyle choices, these include smirking, treating your skin harshly, not using sun protection and others.

Read more about things that age your face here.

What causes oily face?

You may have an oily face because of genetics, this is the number one reason for people having oily skin.

Your parents will pass on their oily skin genes to you so your skin will naturally produce excess oil.

If this is the reason for your oily skin you won’t be able to get rid of it but you can keep it under control.

The non-genetic reasons for your oily skin can be environmental, the medication you take or because you over wash your skin.

Humid environments can trigger your skin to produce more sebum and you’ll have oilier skin because of it.

If you’re over-washing your face this can be drying out your skin, if your skin feels dry it’s trigged to produce sebum to moisturise itself. Your skin may produce excess sebum in an effort to moistures itself making you look oily.

Your medications or hormonal replacements can also cause you to develop oily skin, when you stop taking them you’ll find that your oily skin will disappear.

Skincare or cosmetic products that contain oils which sit on your face and don’t absorb into your skin will cause you to have oily skin.

Changes in your hormones will also give you oily skin, oil production in the body is caused by androgens and these can cause your oil levels to fluctuate.

You’ll notice this during puberty or around the time you have your period or menopause. Your food intake is also a factor in how oily your skin will get

What food causes oily skin?

The best-tasting comfort food is usually the food that causes your acne and oily skin, these include:

Dairy products: your skin is not a fan of dairy products, there are hormones in daily products and these can trigger your body to produce more oil.

This is only true for daily that comes from animals, you can switch to almond, oat or soy milk as an alternative

Fried foods: the omega 6 fatty acids found in our fried foods won’t do your skin any favours.

These fatty acids can be good for you in moderation but they are used too often in western diets making them had for your health and your skin

Salty foods: not only are salty foods bad because they cause the body to retain water, making you look bloated but they also dehydrate the skin.

When the skin is dehydrated and dry it produces an excess amount of oil on the skin making your skin look oily

Alcohol: you may want to lay off the alcohol if you want better skin, not only can it age your skin but it also causes your skin to become dry and dehydrated. The skin will be triggered to produce an excess of oil if this happens

Sugary foods: we love our sugary foods and sugary foods can be found in a variety of foods that you wouldn’t expect.

For this reason, you need to take note of what you’re eating and have a look at the sugar content. Sugar not only results in inflammation in the body but it also makes your skin oiler

Why oil is good for oily skin?

Yes, oil can be very good for oily skin. You should gravitate to oil-based products that have been designed for oily skin.

If you use an oil that works like sebum, jojoba oil for example, you can use it on the skin and it will moisturise your skin without clogging your pores.

If you want to clean your face using an oil cleanser this will be beneficial to you because it will pick up and break up the oil on your skin as well as any dirt, debris or makeup on the skin without stripping the natural sebum off of your skin.

Using an oil cleanser to clean your face is recommended, it can clear blackheads, read how here.

Does drinking water help oily skin?

Yes, drinking water does help with oily skin. The more water you drink the better hydrated your body will be and the better hydrated your skin will be.

When your skin is hydrated there won’t be a need for the skin to produce sebum in an effort to moisturise itself. The water will also make your skin more supple and bouncy.

That’s it! I hope you now know all the disadvantages of oily skin. I also hope that you enjoyed this article and it helped you. If you enjoyed it or know someone else who would then please share it.