Everyone’s skin is different. What works for one person’s skincare routine might not be especially effective for you. Often, this comes down to your skin type, as well as what long-standing issues might be affecting yours. Here, we’re going to look at some of the different skin types there are, as well as skin issues, and how it should affect the ways that you care for your skin. Of course, even within the different skin types, there are going to be differences from person to person that you need to account for.
Normal skin
If your skin has a smooth texture and fine pores, and you have few blemishes, breakouts, and little to no sensitivity, then you are lucky enough to have what is referred to as eudermic skin. This pretty much means that your skin is healthy and well-balanced, meaning that it typically doesn’t need anything in the way of special treatment. Normal skin can shift into other types of skin, especially if hormone levels change or as we get older. Just keep taking care of your skin and it should be fine. This doesn’t mean it’s immune from skin conditions, it just means that whatever you’re doing right now is working for the moment, but you should keep it protected, moisturized, and cleansed frequently.
Dry skin
One of the easiest ways to see if you fit into the two most common types of skin type is to take a piece of blotting paper. Hold it gently to your face, patting it against the skin, before holding it up to the light. If you see some oily patches, especially on the T-zone of the forehead and bridge of the nose, you have normal skin. If you see no oily patches, you likely have dry skin. Dry skin is prone to breaking out in flakiness, and weather can cause it. Taking extra care of your skin in the winter is key if you’re more prone to dry skin. You also want to avoid spending as much time in the shower, drink more water, and consider using a humidifier to keep your environment from getting overly dry.
Oily skin
Again, following the test mentioned above, pat some blotting paper over the entirety of your face. If you can see oily patches all over when you hold it up to the light, this means that you have oily skin. Everyone’s skin produces oil, it’s not inherently unhealthy. But it can lead to open pores, blemishes, and breakouts. Sometimes, this is just a genetic factor, and some people are born with larger pores. However, hormonal changes, such as pregnancy and puberty, can bring this on, as can over-exfoliating or using harsh soaps. To take care of oily skin, you need to moisturize it more often, wash your face twice a day, perhaps with specific oily skin cleanses, to stop your pores from getting clogged, and try to avoid touching your face, especially to pick at any blemishes.
Combination skin
Dry skin and oily skin might sound like they’re polar opposites, but they can mix together. If your t-zone is especially oily, but your cheeks and other parts of your skin tend to be overly dry, or you get breakouts on your forehead, chin, and nose, but nowhere else, you likely have combination skin. People with oily skin, for instance, can experience this in the dryness of winter. Keeping the pores of the t-zone clear using gentle cleansers is recommended, and you should exfoliate, but with care, not doing it every day, but when you start to feel your t-zone becoming overly oily.
Sensitive Skin
If your skin feels itchy, gets red relatively easily, and can feel a little tight, even burning at times, you likely have sensitive skin. Sensitive skin can react to skincare products especially easily, including things like sunscreen, so you need to be sure that you’re choosing products that are designed for sensitive skin. Do note that some allergic reactions can seem similar to sensitive skin, so you might want to have an allergy test done. You could be allergic to a few ingredients or materials that come in contact with your skin fairly regularly, which may make it look like a case of skin sensitivity when it really isn’t.
Damaged skin
If you have experienced major changes to your skin lately, it might not be that you have shifted into one of the commonly referred-to skin types. It might be that you’re seeing the signs of damaged skin. If you’re seeing more fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, less elasticity, and rough skin texture, those might not be the natural signs of aging, it could be that your skin has experienced more wear and tear than it perhaps should have. This can be caused by a range of things, such as excessive exposure to the sun, the use of harsh soaps and detergents, dehydration, and even some medications, but hydrating it, exfoliating, exercising, and protecting your skin a little more thoroughly can help you prevent any further damage.
Get the right help
Regardless of what type of skin you’re having, if you’re having specific problems that you haven’t experienced until recently, then you should look into the more individualized help that a dermatologist can offer. Dermatologists can help not only help you find solutions that are more specific to your skin and experience, but they can also definitively tell you what kind of skin you have if you’re having trouble fitting into any of the categories above. For those experiencing symptoms of conditions like psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, and the like, it’s always worth getting the experts to weigh in.
Hopefully, the tips above give you an idea of the kind of care you should be giving your skin, depending on what type it is. It may take some time to find the treatments and products that work for you as an individual, but an idea of where to begin is always helpful.
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