Impure or oily skin

Do you suffer from impure or oily skin? What are the causes of impure, oily skin and what can you do about it? 8 tips for impure skin and pimples.

What is impure skin?

Impure skin mainly occurs during puberty, but some people suffer from it their entire life. This is also a common phenomenon during pregnancy. Signs that indicate impure skin include pimples, blackheads or white spots, dilated pores and shiny skin. This is mainly visible on the face, but also often on the neck, shoulders, chest and back. With impure skin, the pores on the surface of the skin are clogged. As a result, sebum - the fat that keeps the skin supple - accumulates in the sebaceous glands, together with dirt and dead skin cells. You can notice this by black dots or white bumps under the skin. When these blackheads then become infected as a result of bacteria proliferating in the clogged pores, pimples occur. Because this is usually accompanied by increased sebum production, we often refer to impure skin as oily skin.

What are the causes of impure skin?

Impure and oily skin is a direct result of increased sebum production, which is often hormonally determined. But other factors can also contribute to impure skin. These are the main causes of impure skin:

1. Hormones
   Especially the male hormones (androgens), which occur in both women and men, stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. Female hormones (estrogens and progestogens) actually counteract their production. That is why boys suffer more from impure skin than girls. It is not so much the amount of hormones that determines whether you get pimples, but the imbalance between the hormones and the increased sensitivity of the sebaceous glands. This explains why you can suffer from pimples, especially during puberty, but also during pregnancy. 
2. Stress
   The stress hormones testosterone and cortisol also increase sebum production. That is why your skin is more likely to break out when you are going through a stressful period.
3. The use of certain care products and make-up
   When you use a cream that is too greasy for your skin tone, the pores of your skin become clogged. In addition, the products you use can irritate your skin in such a way that it disrupts sebum production, making it impure. Using make-up, such as a foundation or opaque powder, can also clog the pores. 
4. Insufficient or incorrect cleaning of the skin.
   Cleaning is very important, especially if you wear make-up. When the skin is not cleansed sufficiently or not properly, the pores become clogged.
5. Using certain medications
   Some anti-seizure medications, tranquilizers and cortisone creams can cause or worsen blemish-prone skin.

What to do about impure skin?

Impure, oily skin and pimples can be very annoying. It usually doesn't really bother you, but it can make you feel insecure. Fortunately, when hormones are the cause, this is temporary. In addition, by applying a number of skin care and lifestyle tips, you can do a lot to bring your skin back into balance. These are our tips for caring for impure skin or skin with pimples:

1. Choose mild, natural products
   To combat increased sebum production, it is important to use light products that do not irritate the skin, close it off or nourish it too much. Therefore, choose mild, perfume-free care products with a light base that contain only natural ingredients.
2. Work on your daily cleansing ritual.
   Good cleansing is crucial when caring for your face. Not everyone likes to make time for this, but a daily cleansing ritual before applying your day or night care is still worthwhile. For impure skin, preferably use a mild cleansing milk that you apply to your face with a cotton ball or simply with your hands. Then rinse with lukewarm water and gently pat your face dry (rubbing hard stimulates sebum production). It is best to remove eye makeup with a mild facial oil .
3. Use a soothing lotion
   For extra care for pimples and blackheads, you can use a soothing lotion that balances the metabolism in the skin and regulates sebum formation. You apply this just after cleansing the skin, before applying day or night care.
4. Don't Squeeze
   It may be tempting to squeeze pimples or blackheads, but doing so can worsen the inflammation and cause unsightly scars.
5. Be sparing with makeup. 
   Hiding pimples and blackheads under a thick layer of makeup is also not a good idea. This causes your pores to become closed and even more pimples can develop. So a vicious circle. If you do use make-up, choose natural products as much as possible. 
6. Be careful with sun exposure
   It often seems that exposure to sunlight reduces pimples, but this is only temporary. UV rays stimulate sebum production, which worsens symptoms. Therefore, enjoy the sun in moderation.
7. Nourish your skin from within with a healthy and varied diet.
   For a long time it was claimed that eating a bar of chocolate, for example, could cause an outbreak of pimples. Nowadays people deal with such statements in a much more nuanced way. In any case, what everyone agrees on is that a healthy and varied diet contributes to a calm and healthy skin appearance. With impure skin, it is especially important to ensure sufficient vitamin A (found in salmon, carrots and spinach), zinc (turkey, almonds and wheat germ), vitamin C (citrus fruits, papayas and tomatoes), vitamin E (sweet potatoes, nuts and olive oil), selenium (wheat germ, oily fish and brown rice) and omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, linseed oil and sunflower seeds). Drinking enough water (1.5 to 2 liters per day) is also part of a balanced diet. It is best to avoid dairy and sugars. 
8. Give yourself enough rest and relaxation
   Stress hormones can be an important trigger of pimples or a troubled skin image. Many teenagers experience this during the exam period. Sufficient rest and relaxation are therefore very important. It is better to temporarily avoid massages and saunas, as these can worsen the symptoms.