To determine the type of skin you have, wipe your face with a dry tissue when you wake up in the morning. If there is oil on the tissue, the skin is a greasy type. If there is grease on the center panel only, then it is a combination skin. If there is no grease on the tissue at all, it is either a dry skin or a normal skin. If the skin is left feeling stretched or too tight, shiny and parched, it is dry .If the skin feels smooth, supple and elastic, it is normal.
Normal skin has an even tone, soft, a smooth texture, no visible pores or blemishes, and no greasy patches or flaky areas. This type of skin has a clear, fine-textured, supple and smooth surface which is neither greasy nor dry. It glows with an inner health which stems from good blood circulation and excellent health. There may be occasional pimples in women just before menstruation due to increased hormonal activity, which makes the sebaceous glands overactive. Acne is, however, not a problem for people with normal skin.
Oily skin is shiny, thick and dull colored. Often a chronically oily skin has coarse pores and pimples and other embarrassing blemishes. It is prone to blackheads. In this type of skin, the oil producing sebaceous glands are overactive and produce more oil than is needed. The oil oozes and gives the skin a greasy shine. The pores are enlarged and the skin has a coarse look.
Dry skin has a low level of sebum and can be prone to sensitivity. The skin has a parched look caused by its inability to retain moisture. It usually feels “tight” and uncomfortable after washing unless some type of moisturizer or skin cream is applied. Chapping and cracking are signs of extremely dry, dehydrated skin. Dryness is exacerbated by wind, extremes of temperature and air-conditioning, all of which cause the skin to flake, chap and feel tight. This type of skin is tightly drawn over bones. It looks dull, especially on the cheeks and around the eyes. There may be tiny expression lines on these spots and at the comers of the mouth.
Combination skin is a combination of both oily and dry skin. There is a greasy center panel consisting of nose, forehead and chin and a dry panel consisting of cheeks, mouth and the areas around the eyes. This type of skin is very common, and it should be treated as if it were two different types of skin.
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