By: Lee Phillips
In skincare, oil levels are like the hot porridge in Goldilocks and The Three Bears. Let us explain! Too little oil, and our skin is dry and flakey. Too much oil, and our pores become clogged, we are prone to breakouts, and our skin has an extra ~oily sheen to it. When our skin correctly regulates oil, we have just the right amount to hydrate our skin. Unfortunately, the balance is an easy one to disrupt. There is a long list of baddies that include outside aggravators like humidity—but here, we’re going to talk systemic, heavy hitters that increase oil production from inside.
Hormones, Stress, and High Glycemic Diets
No matter your gender, you’ve got the testosterone hormone in your body.Those with ovaries produce less testosterone than those with testes, but sometimes our adrenal glands can go into overdrive and produce too much testosterone, or other traditionally “male” hormones called androgens. While overproduction of androgens is a spectrum from mild to a condition called PCOS, one of the most common results is the over stimulation of oil producing glands. Et Voila! Oily skin. The overproduction of androgens doesn’t just affect those with ovaries. Those who naturally produce higher levels of testosterone in their testes can also experience this hormonal imbalance. AKA no one is safe.
Feeling Stressed? So is your skin
As if that’s not enough… Stress is the second most common cause of the overproduction of oil in our skin. It’s like a vicious cycle of stress and then stressing about the symptoms of stressing. When we stress out, your body releases cortisol, the fight or flight hormone that allows our bodies to go into hyper -alert. Cortisol has a lovely little ability to bind to sebaceous glands where oil is produced. While scientists have yet to pinpoint exactly what this does, it seems that this binding encourages the overproduction of oil from the sebaceous gland. *groans*
Sweets? really?
To make matters worse, those same hormones that increase oil production can also make us feel emotional and irritated. We might find ourselves turning to sugar or refined carbs (that turn into sugar when not burnt off) to comfort ourselves. And we’re all for treats! Trust. But that doesn’t change the annoying scientific truth, that another big cause of oil overproduction is high glycemic (sugar) diets. The reason again relates to those cursed hormones—this time, growth hormones. Studies show that high sugar diets stress out your adrenal glands (which regulate cortisol, the stress hormone) which in turn increases oil production. Nobody said that the truth wouldn’t hurt!
Trying to curb overproduction of oil by reducing sugar intake is hard. But it doesn’t have to be so black and white. Sometimes just making a couple of swaps can make a difference to how your body interprets and reacts to sugar.. As ever, a nutritional professional can guide you through this process and assess your diet in a holistic way. Hormones, stress, sugar intake: these are all dynamic realities that can be hard to balance. They are ever-evolving and don’t just instantly cure themselves once you start addressing them. But that doesn’t mean we’re out of options. Controlling oil production is something that can be done both topically and from the inside, out with the help of science-approved skin care technology.
An easy fix
Topically, you might think that stripping our skin of all that extra oil will help. Wrong! The key to topical treatment of oily skin is to unclog pores, calm, and balance WITHOUT stripping too much oil. That's where PORE VAC comes in. With bentonite and kaolin clay to draw out deep dirt and grime, and salicylic acid and sulfur to cleanse away excess oil, PORE VAC is essentially a gentle and non-stripping vacuum for your face that balances oil and mattifies your skin. Emphasis on the non-stripping.
In addition to PORE VAC, washing your face regularly is important to cleanse excess oil. But don’t overdo it! Over washing your face can strip oils and dry your skin out, which might sound like a good thing for oily skin but actually is not at all. If you strip too much oil, you can dry your skin out causing your skin to produce MORE oil to compensate. Why it may feel counter intuitive, keeping your skin moisturized ensures that your oil glands don’t have to over produce. So, use non-stripping solutions like PORE VAC, don’t wash toooooo much, and hydrate your skin as much as possible! Do it!
Plot twist! There's more
Alternately, dynamic causes of oil production require dynamic solutions like SKIN DISCIPLINE, a supplement that addresses overproduction of oil at the source. Taken once a day, a skin care hero team of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids eases inflammation and regulates oil levels. But wait there’s more, SKIN DISCIPLINE also contains probiotics to optimize gut health. A healthy diet is so important in healing stress, hormones, and reducing sugar intake, and so is having a healthy guy! When your gut is healthy, you’re able to absorb nutrients better so that your body can heal its imperfections, and learn to make just the right amount of oil. :)
Want to learn more about how your gut affects your skin? Click here to learn more.
