I have been trying for the past year to figure out why the hell im always so oily, especially on my forehead, these last few months i have been suffering from not only an oily forehead but i started to notice i was getting LOTS of oil on my nose, and the oilyness began to spread from there to my cheeks, then to my upper lip and finally down to my chin. I used to take pictures of how oily my skin was, the flash would hit my chin, my forehead and cheeks were clearly visible.
So after almost hitting a state of depression during this time, i would go to bed shaking not sleeping a wink because i was feeling like my life was over and i would never solve my oily/dry skin problem. I tried almost everything i could, i tried accutane, i tried Benzyol peroxide, i tried exfolitating scrubs, i tried changing my diet not drinking milk and not eating the junkfood, i tried Vitamin-B5, i tried just water, i tried organic products, i tried not washing at all... NOTHING worked, and some things i tried made my oil problem even worse.
So one day i was searching on google, i came across this article called "what is the epidermis?" i then searched for something else and i came upon this blog article entitled "Great skin moisturizers for dry skin" and then i started reading some of Dr. LeslieBauman's work. At this point things started making sense!! everything started to fit together for me!!!
The message of these 3 links told me that skin needs to be treated with respect, it needs to be damage-free and needs hydration to do its job. I have not had one zit since starting this project, my skin evened out nicely and the best part... IM NO LONGER SOAKING IN OIL. 
When i WAS extremely oily, about 4-8 hours after washing my face i would run my finger over my forehead where im most oiliest, i felt a distinct greasy feeling, and under the light there was a definate shine to my finger and when you rubbed it it felt greasy.
Well about 3-4 days of doing this regimine i did the same thing, i ran my finger over my forehead, nose and cheeks and i found ZERO amount of oil, yup thats right i found NO OIL AT ALL.
When rubbing my skin with the finger, i looked under the light, no shine, no greasy layer of oil. NOTHING!
I finally feel free!!!! I don't feel that wet feeling on my face!!! .. i also feel no dryness or tightness! my skin has evened out in complexsion too.
So bottom line, how can i help YOU cut the oil from your skin, i'm going to ask you after reading this to READ ALL THE LINKS I POST ITS WORTH IT! Here are some basic rules:
Do's:
-Do use CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser ( or a hydrating, cold cream & milk cleanser are good too), it is one of the best cleansers i have ever came upon, you will not regret it, trust me it is worth the 11 bucks a bottle. (If you read my other articles i posted in this area of the forum you will find that im a strong advocate for products containing Ceramides; Ceramides can be found naturally in our skin and this CeraVe cleanser contains tons of Ceramides and is formulated to not damage the skin as it cleans your face).
-Do shower/clean your face ONCE A DAY, if you must shower/clean your face 2 times a day do it in the morning and then when you come back home shower/clean and then put moisturizer on. But i do not recommend overwashing your face..
-Do PUT MOISTURIZER ON, you do not have to put moisturizer on every single day especially if you have somewhat normal skin, just make it a habit in your regimine (acne sufferers and peeling skin sufferers need to use moisturizer every day until progress is seen.. beware of products containing AHA's, Acids, Oils, Alcohols, Benzoyl Peroxide.. i strongly recommend you use Osmotic's Cream Extreme or their Triceram, CeraVe moisturizing lotion is also good and only contain the basic essential ingredients that hydrate and protect your skin), the CeraVE cleanser already contains hydrating ingredients by the way. Make sure it says non-pore clogging or non-comedogenic, also keep the moisturizer ingredients to a minimum, if it has to many ingredients forget about it! When choosing a moisturizer the less ingredients the better, also it should contain these key ingredients.
-DO INVEST IN A SHOWER WATER FILTER It would be a great first step for you to invest in a shower water filter if you suffer from Dry/Oily or Acne as chlorine and other contaminants may be contributing to your skin problems. There are ways to test your city water, but i found the ReviewGuy review a bunch of water filters and tested each one, have a look! There are filters out there that actually combine cleaning the water taking out mercury, rust, chlorine by using 3 filters in one unit! check it out here.
Dont's:
-DO NOT SCRUB OR OVER-EXFOLIATE YOUR SKIN when you do this to many times, you are destroying the top layer of corneocytes which is the very top layer of your epidermis aka: your top layer of skin. Just take a look what happens when you exfoliate!!! When these things are destroyed you are vulnerable to ACNE, dryness and excessive oil on the surface of your skin, basically you are increasing the chances of having horrible skin!!! I repeat DO NOT EXFOLIATE IF YOU HAVE SEVERE CYSTIC ACNE tons of severe acne sufferers do not know this and are making a serious mistake, when you scrub the clusters of cystic acne you are aggrivating the disorder even more and increasing the chance of perminant disfigured skin. If you have decent skin only exfoliate every 2-3 weeks and not every day (use a soft exfoliant, never use apricot scrubs or anything with sharp grains that will cut your skin).
-DO NOT USE SOAP OR FOAMING CLEANSERS, DO NOT USE BP OR AHA EITHER (aka: Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid) for the same reason as exfoliation, you are damaging the vital cells that protect you! If you already have damaged skin you are just making acne worse when you use acne products with harsh allergens and chemicals! When the epidermis is damaged, oils, bacteria, allergens, debris, chemicals from products get deep into your skin and create cysts called acne.
-Don't shower in hot water and don't shower for long periods of time, it dries up the fatty lipid cells and makes cells curl up making your skin feel dry and look dull. (tepid water is just fine)
There is SO much you need to read right now, read EVERYTHING YOU CAN on these few links im going to post right now, click every link, everything that is interesting to you, educate yourselves:
What is the Epidermis?
http://www.pgbeautyscience.com/the-epidermis.html
Why moisturizing is important
http://www.acne.org/messageboard/moisturiz...16#entry2532616
What Soap Does to Your Skin:
http://dermatology.about.com/od/skincarepr...nser_damage.htm
and these:
http://health.yahoo.com/experts/skintype/
http://futurederm.wordpress.com/2008/01/08...s-for-dry-skin/
I have been doing the water only for 2 months and over now, and I want to incorporate a gentle cleanser into my regimen. I haven't gotten the time to read the articles you posted yet.
I might consider this, but I have some questions on my mind for quite some time now:
What is the difference between dry and oily skin, or other types of skin (if any) for that matter? I keep seeing people write about how they have oily skin and others had dry, and some said they had oily but dry skin. Lastly, how do I know what my skin type is?
I'm totally confused. Enlighten me there.
I have been doing the water only for 2 months and over now, and I want to incorporate a gentle cleanser into my regimen. I haven't gotten the time to read the articles you posted yet.
I might consider this, but I have some questions on my mind for quite some time now:
What is the difference between dry and oily skin, or other types of skin (if any) for that matter? I keep seeing people write about how they have oily skin and others had dry, and some said they had oily but dry skin. Lastly, how do I know what my skin type is?
I'm totally confused. Enlighten me there.
.. basically you can have dry skin or oily skin, most people have both and thats called combination skin (oily t-zone).. but you can have oily/dry skin with some normal skin.
If you wear BP at night should you still moisturize? Wouldn't that kind of defeat the purpose of drying out the pimple? Just wondering. And if you do moisturize with BP, do you moisturize before or after?
You are defeating the purpose of using moisturizer if you use any percentage of BP, your face isint a whole pimple, BP is only meant for spot treatments, and people like proactive turned it into a treatment for the entire face which leads people into damaged skin... they might not know it but it is damaging the skin. Like i said in my first post, exfoliation and acne products can cause damaging effects in the long run it can lead to skin disorders like dermatitus.
Adam, you're kind of all over the place in this thread, especially in your first post. What specifically do you think it is that reduced the oiliness of your skin?
I think what did it was i stopped using soap, harsh acne products and exfoliants.. and moved on to a cream cleanser that cleans oil and dirt but doesnt damage the epidermis layer and restores hydration to the lipids with ceramide. Im using a moisturizer after i take a shower that repairs the epidermis and keeps in moisture (i do this ever 2-3 days).
i think thats what did it
What a load of bull is all I can say!
Thanks for giving us a few brand names to buy, sure that product endorsement might bring in a few suckers LOL
As for BP not to be used all over the face - erm thatas the entire point of it!
And 1 of the many causes of acne is the dead skin cells not shedding properly, so manual or chemical exfoliation does help. Thats kinda why retinoids and acids are medically proven and prescribed by doctors.
Sorry but your full of crap!
Yes the skin can become oilier if you strip it using excessively harsh cleansers. But the only thing that can possibly reduce oil is accutane and spironolactane. Any topical just dehydrates the surface of the skin and leaves the oil glads below exactly the same.
I love exfoliation, thank you very much. I will have nothing else to contribute to this thread.
To much exfoliation irritates the skin and worsens acne
What a load of bull is all I can say!
Thanks for giving us a few brand names to buy, sure that product endorsement might bring in a few suckers LOL
Im just trying to help people, im not affiliated with CeraVe
As for BP not to be used all over the face - erm thats the entire point of it!
BP should ONLY be used on cystic acne and not all over the face, most part of the face is smooth and clear and does not need harsh chemicals like BP at all.
And 1 of the many causes of acne is the dead skin cells not shedding properly, so manual or chemical exfoliation does help. Thats kinda why retinoids and acids are medically proven and prescribed by doctors.
Dead skin cells eventually wash off and dont need exfoliating, when you exfoliate not only are you scrubbing off dead skin cells but scrubbing the very fine layer that is there to protect you from irritants and allergens in our daily lives.. exfoliation however does speed up cell regeneration process but if done to many times within a short period can irritate and can do damage
Sorry but your full of crap!
Yes the skin can become oilier if you strip it using excessively harsh cleansers. But the only thing that can possibly reduce oil is accutane and spironolactane. Any topical just dehydrates the surface of the skin and leaves the oil glads below exactly the same.
CeraVe or any cream cleansers like Ponds cold cream or Cetephil cleanser would be great for someone on accutane, i dont like accutane because its not a perminant solution to oily skin.
erm who said BP should only be used for cystic acne?! Its a very basic treatment available everywhere for anyone.
The only thing that should really be reserved for cystic acne is accutane. Sorry but you are completley wrong about BP just totally way off.
And yes it should be used all over, you never spot treat with BP.
And dead skin protecting you from allergens?! wtf, acne isn't caused by dirt! Its clogged pores FROM DEAD SKIN! Anyone that over exfoliates is more likely to just irritate it and make it red and dry, not cause more acne. Everyone should exfoliate period!
I love exfoliation, thank you very much. I will have nothing else to contribute to this thread.
To much exfoliation irritates the skin and worsens acne
Well of course too much exfoliation irritates that skin, but there is such a thing as an appropriate amount of exfoliation. SA, BHAs and glycolics are a great way to get an appropriate amount of exfoliation, as long as they aren't overused.
There is no "solution" to oily skin that's going to work for everyone. To say there is-- THAT'S what's going to make you sound like a proselytizing arse. FYI.
3-4 days of doing this regimen? I wouldn't get so excited. Since last Thursday I've only been cleansing and moisturizing. Very similar to what you say has helped your oily face. Problem is, it doesn't do jack for my acne or oily skin. Instead, I get red bumps all over the place, my forehead turns into sandpaper and hours later, my nose and forehead shine as bright as the sun.
So guess what? I'm back to using BP again today and doing the Acne.org Regimen. I don't know why I just don't stick with it because it's the only thing that's given me a nearly 100% clear complexion since middle school. But I see posts like this, thinking ah, what the hell. I'll stop the Regimen and see if this more simplistic method will work as good as this or that person says. But every time it's right back to where I started. Acne, oil and a confidence level lower than the number of local businesses looking to hire right now.
Also, you say exfoliation is bad. Oprah had that (yes I watch Oprah sometimes, lol) Dr. Oz guy on her show (I think he was the one) and he said exfoliation was a good thing and recommended it. So for every source you find arguing against exfoliation, BP, whatever, I can find two more that says it's good for my acne. So I just think it's funny how you're proclaiming this a so-called cure from a method you've used for such a short time. Hell, I've been using the Acne.org products since last October and still haven't written a review yet. Not because of laziness, but because I wanna be sure that this stuff is for real before going apeshit on just how good the products are. People wanna know if something's gonna work long-term. They don't wanna have to switch methods, buy new products every few weeks trying to get results that will last.
If this continues to work for you, congratulations. But to call it a cure. Seriously, come'on now.
Adam, you're kind of all over the place in this thread, especially in your first post. What specifically do you think it is that reduced the oiliness of your skin?
I think what did it was i stopped using soap, harsh acne products and exfoliants.. and moved on to a cream cleanser that cleans oil and dirt but doesnt damage the epidermis layer and restores hydration to the lipids with ceramide. Im using a moisturizer after i take a shower that repairs the epidermis and keeps in moisture (i do this ever 2-3 days).
i think thats what did it
Have you read my thread "FINALLY: a more direct test of the 'feedback theory' ", on the Acne Research forum? I vigorously washed my face 5-6 times a day for several days with what people here would consider to be just about the WORST POSSIBLE cleanser to use on your skin: plain ol' Ivory Soap. And yet despite that, there was no change in sebum production! You can see scans of the actual Sebutape test-strips that I used before-and-after that severe washing with ordinary soap! How do you explain that? 
Yes the skin can become oilier if you strip it using excessively harsh cleansers.
Are you SURE about that? 
But the only thing that can possibly reduce oil is accutane and spironolactane. Any topical just dehydrates the surface of the skin and leaves the oil glads below exactly the same.
Yes. THOSE statements, I agree with. Don't you see the obvious inconsistency between your first statement and the second and third ones? 
How do you know this regemin will work for everyone?
I mean, it might have worked for you, but how do you know that it won't break other people out? I honestly believe that oily skin is genetic, my mom has oily skin and so do I since I take after her in many aspects.
The only reason I'm not jumping up to buy these products is because I've spent so much money on cleansers and moisturizers that claim to work and I'm tired of being let down everytime it doesn't.
My face is clear, it's just very oily and always has been.
Does BP have anything to do with oily skin?
I love exfoliation, thank you very much. I will have nothing else to contribute to this thread.
To much exfoliation irritates the skin and worsens acne
But you're not telling people to be careful with exfoliation, you're telling them to stop it altogether. I like exfoliation as well. And that picture of the gruesome effects of exfoliation, what's so bad about it? You're removing dead skin, what do you need that for? As long as you're gentle I can see no problem with removing debris sticked to my face. I'll keep on exfoliating, too. Thank you.
I love exfoliation, thank you very much. I will have nothing else to contribute to this thread.
To much exfoliation irritates the skin and worsens acne
But you're not telling people to be careful with exfoliation, you're telling them to stop it altogether. I like exfoliation as well. And that picture of the gruesome effects of exfoliation, what's so bad about it? You're removing dead skin, what do you need that for? As long as you're gentle I can see no problem with removing debris sticked to my face. I'll keep on exfoliating, too. Thank you.
I should really rephrase my first post and say exfoliate, but do not overdo it, DO NOT do it everyday especially if you have acne and you are young.. if you are old it takes a little more time for the dead skin cells to slough off so exfoliating helps! We all naturally slough off dead skin cells, but if you are older cell regeneration tends to take longer and dead skin cells build up on the surface, so for old folks do it every 2-3 weeks and for the younger teens even longer between exfoliations. If you exfoliate everyday you will eventually irritate the skin causing redness, irritation and dry skin. When you scrub your skin you are taking off a very fine layer of the epidermis, skin cells that contain NMF's (natural moisturizing factors) which are vital because they help keep skin moisturized and help keep a barrier protecting the dermal layer and fatty layer. You should definatly not exfoliate with things such as apricot scrubs because scrubs like these contain grains that have sharp edges and cause micro scratches in your face, thus opening up a place for acne to form. Use non-harsh exfoliating products without the grains or a soft non-scratchy scrub would be fine.
wont work for everyone sorry.
cerave cleanser is crap imo. makes my skin an oil slick. have done week trials on/off with and confirmed.
washing once a day with my oily skin did reduce my oil a bit, but i ended up having a shitload of clogged pores and my face just looked so bad overall.
i understand that youre trying to find the deeper root of the problem, ie skin composition and moisture, but its not that simple.
its the products you use that determine how oily you are. for some weird ass reason using one product over another can significantly change oil product. when i use cerave cleanser, im oily as hell, but the VERY next day after using some random ass clean and clear cleanser, i hardly produce oil. it makes no sense at all.
so people, unfortunately you have to just keep trying products until you find something you are compatible with. this means that you might buy a cleanser and end up trashing it the next day because it makes you oily...thats the story of oily skin people.
and SA/AHA in a cleanser doesnt do anything lol. the creams might, but not cleansers. i agree, though, that bp cleansers are pretty harsh.
wont work for everyone sorry.
cerave cleanser is crap imo. makes my skin an oil slick. have done week trials on/off with and confirmed.
washing once a day with my oily skin did reduce my oil a bit, but i ended up having a shitload of clogged pores and my face just looked so bad overall.
i understand that youre trying to find the deeper root of the problem, ie skin composition and moisture, but its not that simple.
its the products you use that determine how oily you are. for some weird ass reason using one product over another can significantly change oil product. when i use cerave cleanser, im oily as hell, but the VERY next day after using some random ass clean and clear cleanser, i hardly produce oil. it makes no sense at all.
so people, unfortunately you have to just keep trying products until you find something you are compatible with. this means that you might buy a cleanser and end up trashing it the next day because it makes you oily...thats the story of oily skin people.
and SA/AHA in a cleanser doesnt do anything lol. the creams might, but not cleansers. i agree, though, that bp cleansers are pretty harsh.
Well i was an oily type (maybe not as bad as you) and i used it for 3-4 days and became less oily, it probably takes a little longer for some people as they have a really compromized epidermis layer and need time to repair.. if you follow my regimine which is just cerave hydrating cleanser and moisturizer you should have no problems at all. SA/AHA can be used to exfoliate skin and reveal the bright new cell layer, but shouldnt be used everyday like exfoliates, it can irritate and redden the skin in some people, especially if its left on the face.
I am studying to be a beauty therapist, so have a fair understanding of the skin.
An oily skin is caused by the sebaceous glands in the dermis producing too much sebum (the skins natural moisturiser.) Dry skin has the opposite problem - the sebaceous glands aren't producing enough sebum, causing the skin to dry out.
If you would like to know what your skin type is I would recommend visiting a salon. If you really don't want to do that then this is a basic way to find out for yourself :
1) Cleanse and tone your face and then position yourself in natural light in front of a magnifying mirror.
2) Look at your skin from all angles and move the skin around (gently!) with your fingertips.
3) See which characteristics your skin has from the list below and match up with your skin type.
Small, tight pores, flaking, dullness, fine lines, a tight uncomfortable feeling when you move the skin = Dry skin
Large, open pores, a greasy film over the skin, papules or pustules (spots) = Oily skin
A combination of the two above = Combination skin
Redness, dilated capillaries (tiny visible veins), soreness, warm to touch = Sensitive skin
Small to medium pores, good skin colour, smooth texture, comfortable = Normal skin
These are the main skin types, I hope this helps.
P.S. Please moisturise more than 2-3 times a week as any skin type needs extra moisture. Apply a good quality moisturiser 2x a day and it is also a good idea to exfoliate. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells (which can become clogged in the pores and cause spots) and makes the skin appear fresher and cleaner. Only exfoliate 1-2x a week though and less if you have sensitive skin.
An oily skin is caused by the sebaceous glands in the dermis producing too much serum...
Did you mean to say "sebum"?
...(the skins natural moisturiser.) Dry skin has the opposite problem - the sebaceous glands aren't producing enough sebum, causing the skin to dry out.
Why do you think that sebum is the skin's "natural moisturiser"? Based on what evidence?
An oily skin is caused by the sebaceous glands in the dermis producing too much serum...
Did you mean to say "sebum"?
...(the skins natural moisturiser.) Dry skin has the opposite problem - the sebaceous glands aren't producing enough sebum, causing the skin to dry out.
Why do you think that sebum is the skin's "natural moisturiser"? Based on what evidence?
I based it on the fact that it's what I've been taught at college by four seperate Beauty Therapy and Anatomy & Physiology tutors.
An oily skin is caused by the sebaceous glands in the dermis producing too much serum...
Did you mean to say "sebum"?
...(the skins natural moisturiser.) Dry skin has the opposite problem - the sebaceous glands aren't producing enough sebum, causing the skin to dry out.
Why do you think that sebum is the skin's "natural moisturiser"? Based on what evidence?
I based it on the fact that it's what I've been taught at college by four seperate Beauty Therapy and Anatomy & Physiology tutors.
Bryan is going to say that there is no truth to that, sebum is useless and does not moisturize the skin, nor is there any increase or decrease in sebum production due to the use of a cleanser and/or moisturizers, etc.
I'm going to say this. That very well may be true Bryan, however, when you still have the opposite being taught, not only by teachers in schools, but also by dermatologists and estheticians alike, nobody is ever going to be on the same page.