I posted a topic in the oily skin section of the forums, but ill repost here since its relevant

Firstly not everyones skin is oily for the same reason, It could be genetics, or it could be self induced.

If its genetics, there isnt much you can do, im sorry, but the good news is for most people its self induced.

If you use harsh products on your skin, then is most likely self induced and this is why.

A pH level is a chemist's term meaning "Potential of Hydrogen" and is used to measure the degree of acidity or alkalinity. A pH is measured on a scale ranging from 0 to 14 where the centre of the scale (7) is neutral (neither acid nor alkaline). A reading below 7 indicates that the substance being measured is acidic and above 7 is alkaline.

In this topic we will be referring to the pH of the epidermis. Normal skin pH is somewhat acidic and in the range of 4.4 to 5.5 It varies from one part of the body to another and, in general, the pH of a man's skin is lower (more acidic) than a woman's.

The outer layer of skin has a protective layer made up of acidic oils produced by natural oil secretions and perspiration. This protective layer is called our Acid Mantle. Our Acid Mantle is what protects our skin from the invasion of bacteria; as bacteria will only grow in an alkaline environment.

When our Acid Mantle is damaged we are prone not only to bacteria invasions, but dehydration and dryness on the skin; which in turn can lead to an overproduction of oil follow (as the skin is trying its hardest to repairs the Acid Mantle as quickly as possible).

The outer layer of skin cells are made of keratin, a very hard protein. Keratin must be kept at an acidic pH to maintain its hardness by keeping the protective proteins tightly bound together. An alkaline pH product will soften and loosen the fibres of keratin and create gaps in the protective covering. This allows more allergens, irritants, bacteria and viruses to penetrate into the skin.

A common mistake that a lot of people make when it come to there skincare routine is choosing the wrong products for their skin. This occurs because we perceive the information on TV/ Newspaper/ Magazine/ Radio marketing to be giving us the correct facts about there product. When in actually fact they are telling us exactly what we want to know; just not all of the information we need.

We want to remove excess oil; this is the oil that makes your skin shiny, a waxy layer over your forehead, nose, and chin. But it is important to be careful with the type of cleanser you use; remembering that we want to use something that is slightly acidic, as this will not only help to cleanse the skin thoroughly but will help to keep your acid mantle in tack.

A mild soap sold commercially often has an alkaline pH (9.5-11.0), and raises the pH of the skin, thus undermining your skin's natural defences. These soaps also extract protective lipids (fats) from the skin. The high level of synthetic detergents found in these soaps strips away the mantle and loosen the protective keratin proteins.

People with skin irritations tend to have a more alkaline pH, and washing with soap can increase the alkaline state; as they continue to use their soap cleansers it will increase the alkaline on the skin making it even more vulnerable to irritation and infection.

This is most commonly seen in a acne skin and skins with high allergies like eczema and psoriasis skin problems become more severe when the skin becomes more alkaline.

Adequate skin cell replacement is crucial to maintaining the skin barrier. It is important to increase our skin cell renewal to keep a constant flow of cells moving outward in the skin and a fresh supply of outer skin cells to replace older and damaged skin cells.

• repair of the acid mantle this is cricital to stop moisture loss from the skin. At the same time as allowing moisture loss which creates dry areas of skin, poor acid mantle protection will actually stimulate excess oil production in other areas leading to both oily and dry skin at the same time.
• internal nutrition are there any nutritional issues that are contributing to this condition
• reducing congestion congestion will contribute to further breakouts
• prioritising treatment in this case, balancing the acid mantle and correcting nutritional imbalances will have a positive effect on breakouts. This is the priority. Internal nutrition and managing other factors such as hormones, diet, stress etc will help to minimise breakouts as well.

There are many ways to restore your skins PH and protect your acid mantle. The method I used was apple cider vinegar and vitamin E oil with aloe vera gel. Also remember results with most likely take weeks to months. Another thing to note most dermatologists dont have your best intrests in mind, they are quick to prescribe drugs and topicals pushed by pharmaceutical companies. They want you in and out, remember to 99% them it is just a business and your just a client.

I hope this helps.

Also, here is a link to a site reviewing apple cider vinegar. The results people have been getting are amazing, there are 99% 5 star rating to this treatment

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