Skincare varies vastly from person to person. Each individual has their own particular skin care needs, depending on the cosmetic effects they’re trying to achieve, the dermatological problems they’ve had, their age, their occupation, and more. One of the many factors that might affect your skincare routine is your skin type. Broadly speaking, there are four different types of skin, with a “supertype” that can be tacked on to any of the other four types. The four broad categories are “normal”, “dry”, “oily” and “combination”, and people with skin in any of the four categories can have “sensitive” skin.
Normal skin isn’t necessarily called this because it’s common, but rather because it tends to be the freest of problems. Normal skin isn’t too oily or too dry, pores will be barely visible, and you’ll tend to be free of problems like acne, redness or flakiness. When you have this skin type, your skincare routine won’t be terribly complicated – a cleanser and moisturizer will probably do the trick. That said, it’s still a good idea to visit a dermatologist in order to create a perfect skincare routine that will keep your skin as healthy and radiant as it already is!
Dry skin occurs when there’s a lack of natural oils. There are a lot of uncomfortable symptoms, including itching, tightness, redness, flaking, cracking and peeling. A variety of factors might make your skin dry; if you’re in cold temperatures or the atmosphere lacks moisture, your skin might dry out. Genetics play a factor, of course, as do decisions like taking long, hot showers, using the wrong soaps or prolonged exposure to UV rays. Take shorter showers, use a humidifier, use gentler soaps and wear UV blocking lotions; above all, make sure to moisturize!
Oily skin, as you might have guessed, is the opposite of dry. When you have too much oil in your skin, it can begin to clog your pores, causing pimples and other blemishes. Your pores might look enlarged, and your skin might be shiny. Stress, puberty and genetics can all make your skin oily, as can excess humidity. Cleansers are key for folks with oily skin; try not to wash your skin more than twice a day.
Combination skin is a combination of oily and dry skin, making skincare a bit trickier. Generally speaking, the T-Zone, the area encompassing the nose up to the forehead, produces more oil than the rest of the face in people with combination skin. That means you’ll want to use techniques for oily skin on the T-Zone, and techniques for dry skin on the rest of your face; for folks with combination skin, consulting with a dermatologist is particularly important.
Sensitive skin is the supertype, and it essentially refers to people whose skin is very reactive. When you have sensitive skin, you’ll want to use gentle cleansers, moisturize, and use UV protection lest you get sunburn.
People with all types of skin can get acne, especially in their teens. You might not have had a great skincare routine when your acne appeared, and you may have some scars from the experience. Fortunately, some aesthetic procedures for acne scars are a safe and effective way of reducing their appearance.
