Is Oily Skin Good or Bad?(11 Facts to Know)

by Lawliet Luo | Apr 21, 2023

The advantage of oily skin is that the skin looks plumper, elastic and radiant, and it is relatively less prone to skin aging problems such as wrinkles and fine lines. In addition, oily skin also has a self-protection mechanism, which can resist the damage of external factors to the skin, thereby slowing down the process of skin aging.

However, oily skin also has its downsides, such as being prone to problems like acne, blackheads, and enlarged pores, which are caused by excess sebum production.

Oily skin is a skin type with obvious advantages and obvious disadvantages. It is usually determined by genetic factors, age factors, environmental factors, lifestyle and other factors, of which genetic factors account for the main part. It is difficult for us to change skin type, if you have oily skin, please find out if oily skin is good or bad for you.

Oily skin differs from other skin types in that it produces more sebum, a highly mobile fluid that covers the surface of the skin. Sebum is composed mainly of 41% triglycerides, 26% wax esters, 16% free fatty acids, and 12% squalene. The benefits and harms of sebum for the skin are the advantages and disadvantages of oily skin.

Pros

1. Fights against skin aging.

Compared with other types of skin, oily skin produces more sebum and natural moisturizing factor (NMF), a protective mechanism that keeps the skin hydrated and elastic, thereby slowing down the rate of skin aging. Additionally, oily skin typically has more collagen and elastin, proteins that are key to skin’s youthfulness and elasticity.

People with oily skin may show relatively few signs of skin aging, be less prone to wrinkles, have less dry, less flaky skin, be more youthful and resilient, and retain moisture more easily. However, attention still needs to be paid to proper skincare practices and product selection to take full advantage of this natural benefit of oily skin and keep it healthy and youthful.

2. Anti-bacterial effect

The sebum secretion in oily skin is relatively strong, and sebum is rich in free fatty acids. These free fatty acids can have a certain antibacterial effect on bacteria and fungi on the skin surface, and inhibit their growth and reproduction. Additionally, oily skin has a lower pH, usually between 4.5 and 5.5, and this acidic environment can also inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi.

However, when the skin is overly oily or irritated, excess sebum is produced, which can actually aggravate skin inflammation and bacterial infection.

Therefore, although oily skin has a certain antibacterial effect, it is still necessary to pay attention to keeping the skin clean and healthy to avoid skin problems such as bacterial infection and acne.

3. Moisturizing effect

A woman applying facial moisturizing spray

Oily skin can form a layer of film covering the surface of the skin, which can effectively protect the skin’s moisture and nutrition, maintain the softness and elasticity of the skin, and keep the skin moist. Additionally, oily skin is high in natural moisturizing factors (NMFs), which absorb moisture from the surrounding air and retain it inside the skin.

Because of this moisturizing mechanism of oily skin, people with oily skin usually don’t need to use moisturizing products as much. When choosing skin care products, you should choose light and refreshing moisturizing products, and avoid using products that are too moisturizing, so as not to increase the burden on the skin and stimulate excessive oil secretion.

It should be noted that the ability of oily skin to moisturize does not mean that it does not need skin care. Correct skin care methods and product selection can help oily skin achieve better moisturizing effects and keep the skin healthy and young.

4. Antioxidant effect

Healthy cells gradually die under the attack of free radicals

The antioxidant effect refers to the ability to resist free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules with high activity that can damage cell membranes, DNA and other biomacromolecules, leading to degeneration and damage of cell functions and skin aging.

Sebum contains a lot of vitamin E, vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, it can effectively scavenge free radicals, protect cells from free radical damage, and protect the skin from oxidative damage. At the same time, vitamin E can also promote the synthesis of collagen, thereby maintaining the elasticity and luster of the skin.

You can also moderately supplement foods rich in vitamin E, such as nuts, vegetables, fruits, etc., to maintain the health and youth of the skin.

5. Self-protection.

Oily skin compared with other skin types, oily skin is less prone to problems such as allergies, redness, and pigmentation. Oily skin is also less susceptible to environmental stimuli, and has less noticeable sun spots. Most importantly, oily skin is better able to adapt to various environmental and climatic conditions, which means it can maintain strong resistance and tolerance.

The self-protection ability of oily skin is because its sebaceous glands secrete more oil, forming a natural protective film to prevent external harmful substances from invading the skin, and at the same time keep the skin’s moisture from excessive evaporation. This protective film also helps the skin maintain its pH balance, protecting it from bacterial infection and inflammation. In addition, the stratum corneum of oily skin is usually more intact, which means that oily skin can better protect itself from irritation and bacterial infection.

While oily skin can sometimes feel greasy, it’s actually a healthy skin type with a greater ability to protect itself.

6. Face more attractive

Healthy, acne-free oily skin appears more resilient and resilient, smoother, more even, and luminous. Skin looks more natural with a more radiant and healthy look. Moreover, oily skin is less prone to wrinkles and fine lines, as well as scaling and roughness. Therefore, it is very important to maintain a healthy state of oily skin, which can make your skin look younger and more vibrant.

Cons

1. Acne, facial inflammation

Early stage pustules. The red area and the white bump are smaller, and only the slightly emerging white head can be seen. The pustule grows under the mouth and can be seen more clearly by squeezing it out with two hands.

Oily skin is more prone to clogged pores than other skin types, resulting in non-inflammatory acne (whiteheads, blackheads) and inflammatory acne (papules, pustules, nodules, cysts). This is because oily skin follicles are more prone to hyperkeratosis, which clogs the follicle opening and prevents the sebum produced by the sebaceous glands from draining, thus allowing bacteria to multiply within the follicle, leading to acne.

First of all, it is very important to keep the face clean. Choose mild amino acid facial cleansing products and clean them 2 to 3 times a day, which can effectively prevent clogged pores, reduce skin inflammation, and reduce acne. It is also very important to use skin care products suitable for oily skin after cleansing the face. These products usually contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients, which can effectively reduce the appearance of acne.

Note that it is not recommended that you often apply a moisturizing mask. The moisturizing mask can easily lead to excessive hydration of the skin and lose of the ability to resist external bacteria and viruses. It is also not recommended to use the cleansing mask frequently. The cleansing ability of the cleansing mask is too strong, it is easy to damage the barrier of the skin surface, and the skin loses its protective ability, which is more prone to acne, skin redness and inflammation. Remember, healthy skin is the foundation of beauty.

Normally, the oil secreted by the sebaceous glands runs out along the hair follicles. But when hyperkeratosis at the funnel of the hair follicle. The pores are clogged so that the oil cannot flow out and form whiteheads. A mixture of oil, dead cells and bacteria causes an inflammatory reaction, forming acne.

Secondly, maintaining a balanced diet is also an important part. Try to avoid eating too much greasy, high-sugar and high-fat food, and increase the intake of vegetables, fruits and protein, which will help reduce the occurrence of acne. At the same time, regular exercise and maintaining a good attitude are also one of ways to reduce acne.

Oily skin is not only prone to keratosis of hair follicles to block pores, resulting in inflammatory acne. It is also prone to facial redness and skin inflammation. Sebum contains squalene, which can help maintain the skin’s barrier function and protect the skin from external environmental damage. Squalene also has anti-oxidant effects, which can inhibit the production of free radicals, slow down the aging process of the skin, and make the skin healthier and younger.

However, squalene will become peroxy squalene when exposed to oxygen for a long time. Peroxy squalene has certain irritation and toxicity and is harmful to the skin. Long-term exposure to peroxy squalene may cause problems such as skin allergies, irritation, and damage. Peroxy squalene also accelerates skin aging, promoting the production of free radicals that cause damage to skin cells and accelerate skin aging.

2. Easy to leave acne marks

After having acne on the right side of my face, I left a lot of acne marks.

Acne marks are caused by skin inflammation caused by acne that destroys collagen and elastic fibers in the skin, resulting in damage to skin tissue and causing pigmentation.

If the inflammation is mild and only damages the skin tissue of the epidermis, the light-colored acne marks left behind may disappear on their own within a few weeks to months.

If the inflammation is severe and damages the dermis deep in the skin, it may take several months or even more than a year for the dark acne marks to disappear.

In addition, if you squeeze acne, it can cause deeper damage, which can lead to more visible acne marks. Therefore, the best way to prevent acne marks is to avoid squeezing acne and treat acne in time.

3. Makeup is likely to come off

Because the skin is too oily, makeup often does not adhere firmly to the face and comes off easily. Even with high-quality cosmetics, it is difficult to guarantee long-lasting makeup. Prolonged makeup loss not only affects one’s appearance, but also exposes the skin to pollutants and harmful substances, leading to further skin problems.

If you have oily skin, you must carefully clean your face before applying makeup to keep your skin dry. It is best to choose cosmetics suitable for oily skin and use appropriate primers and makeup-fixing measures. For example, choose a primer and foundation that contain oil-controlling ingredients, set your makeup with a loose powder, touch up your makeup regularly, and more. These measures can help you better control oil secretion and make your makeup last longer.

4. Prone to odor

A beautiful woman smelled an unpleasant smell and pinched her nose to avoid inhaling the unpleasant smell.

The face of oily skin does not produce odor itself, but excessive sebum secretion may cause excessive accumulation of facial oil, promote the growth and reproduction of bacteria, and cause facial odor. In addition, oily skin tends to absorb dirt and sweat from the outside, which can also cause facial odor. So keeping your face clean, controlling sebum production, and using refreshing skin care products can all help prevent facial odor.

5. The face feels unclean and uncomfortable

People with oily skin have excessive oil build-up on their faces, giving a feeling of an unclean face. At the same time, people with oily skin also tend to feel uncomfortable with greasy skin, with too much sebum and sweat blocking the pores, making the skin unable to breathe properly. Therefore, the presence of too much oil on the face not only affects the overall appearance of the skin, but also makes people feel uncomfortable.