Does Having Oily Pores and skin Assist Forestall Wrinkles?

I grew up with oily pores and skin at a time when a matte look was all the fad. Although folks would inform me my pores and skin was “glowing,” I spent my teenage years furiously powdering my t-zone to carry down the shine. (There was no such factor as glass pores and skin or glazed donut pores and skin, I can inform you that a lot.) Quick ahead a pair many years and dewy pores and skin is all the fad. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve undoubtedly come to understand my pure pores and skin sort extra and have been capable of see it for its benefits.
No matter the place oily pores and skin has stood in relation to the development cycle, one factor has remained fixed. All through my profession, I’ve seen that individuals are likely to imagine having oily pores and skin helps stop wrinkles and different indicators of ageing. However is it true?
I’ll say upfront, I don’t imagine one pores and skin sort ages “higher” than one other. Relating to ageing, every pores and skin sort has its personal benefits (and drawbacks). Pores and skin fads might come and go, however on the finish of the day, your pores and skin sort isn’t a development. It’s one thing that dictates how your pores and skin needs to be cared for and what its distinctive wants are.
Understanding your pores and skin’s strengths and weaknesses is the easiest way to create a sport plan that permits it to age in a wholesome, swish method. In case you have oily pores and skin, this publish will train you how one can do exactly that.
The Benefits of Oily Pores and skin and How It Can Assist Forestall Wrinkles
What does it truly imply to have “oily” pores and skin? Individuals with oily pores and skin sorts (like Skin Types 1-4) have a better density of sebaceous glands. These are the glands that produce oil, and this oil is accountable for offering moisture and shielding our pores and skin from environmental aggressors, micro organism, and extra.
These of us with oily pores and skin are fast to see the downsides, however let’s take a step again and have a look at some advantages you may not have thought-about!
Increased Concentrations of Oil Glands Might Imply Thicker Pores and skin
One attainable good thing about oily pores and skin is that the excessive density of sebaceous glands means having thicker pores and skin general. This gives a pure cushion that makes the pores and skin much less vulnerable to creasing or folding, which will help gradual or stop the formation of wrinkles and fantastic strains.
Dr. Sam Lam, a board-certified plastic surgeon who sees a variety of pores and skin sorts in his observe day-after-day, echoes this perception: “The easiest way to grasp the supposed bias towards oily pores and skin is to grasp how the pores and skin repairs injury, which is the sebaceous (or oil) gland as the primary supply of regeneration. Individuals with oily pores and skin might have extra lively oil glands and thereby have extra safety. There might be an affiliation of oil glands with thicker pores and skin, which is much less vulnerable to collagen breakdown.”
He notes that this isn’t one thing that’s been scientifically confirmed, it’s extra of a idea primarily based on a mixture of current analysis and his personal observations. After 30 years of working with pores and skin hands-on, I are likely to agree with these observations.
Whereas oily pores and skin sorts might have a leg up on the subject of wrinkle prevention, it’s necessary to keep in mind that strains and wrinkles aren’t the one parts of facial ageing. Facial sagging and pores and skin laxity are a pure a part of the ageing course of, and having oily pores and skin doesn’t stop this.
Sebum Offers Pure Moisture and Safety
Having dry or dehydrated pores and skin can contribute to the event of fantastic strains, so that is one other occasion when having oily pores and skin might repay. Our pores and skin has a more durable time holding onto moisture as we age, and having your individual built-in moisture from oil manufacturing can actually be useful.
Sebum additionally acts as a protect for our pores and skin, so oilier pores and skin sorts might have a bit extra pure safety in opposition to ageing triggers like air pollution, free radicals, and UV injury (however not sufficient to skip sunscreen, after all!). This further little bit of safety means it is perhaps simpler to take care of vibrant, even-toned pores and skin, one other attribute of youthful-looking complexions.
All nice information for greasy pores and skin sorts, proper? Earlier than getting too carried away although, keep in mind that being much less vulnerable to wrinkles isn’t the identical as being immune. The easiest way to capitalize in your pure benefits is correctly caring on your pores and skin with a constant routine (and sure, oily pores and skin nonetheless wants moisturizer).
Frequent Growing older Issues for Oily Pores and skin (and What to Do About Them)
No matter pores and skin sort, we’re all extra vulnerable to sure elements of pores and skin ageing than others. The secret’s understanding which elements we’re vulnerable to and addressing them early on. As they are saying, an oz. of prevention is price a pound of treatment.
Under, the most typical ageing issues for greasy pores and skin sorts and how one can get forward of them.
Pore dimension
Talking from expertise, these of us with oilier pores and skin can wrestle with pore dimension as we age. When you might have extra sebum flowing by way of your pores it may well stretch them out, making them seem greater over time. This may not be tremendous noticeable if you’re youthful, however as we age we begin to lose cushion and quantity in our pores and skin. This cushion helps “plump out” enlarged pores, however because the pores and skin turns into extra lax, giant pores change into extra apparent.
A clean, even pores and skin texture is one key function of youthful-looking pores and skin and it may be troublesome to make pores seem smaller as soon as this begins to occur, so that is undoubtedly an excellent factor to start out addressing early on!
Methods to Forestall Enlarged Pores
- Handle oil manufacturing by utilizing the proper components for greasy pores and skin
- Preserve pores clear by getting common extractions and exfoliating at house
- Use retinol to assist protect your pores and skin’s pure “cushion”
Be taught all about the most effective technique for minimizing giant pores.
Pimples Scars
Whereas not everybody with oily pores and skin experiences zits, many do—particularly of their youthful years (I do know this was the case for me). Breakouts can range in severity, however in the event you’re somebody who’s handled deep nodular or cystic zits, you recognize all too properly it may well depart behind indented scarring. That is by far probably the most troublesome type of zits scarring to cope with, and identical to enlarged pores, it may well change into extra distinguished as we age.
You may handle the consequences of zits scarring over time by sticking to a diligent skincare routine that features collagen-stimulating components. Use a vitamin C serum within the morning to assist construct collagen and forestall additional injury. Use retinol within the evenings and contemplate consulting with a dermatologist to work your method as much as a prescription energy since this can give probably the most dramatic outcomes. Most significantly, put on solar safety each single day, rain or shine (this sunscreen is perfect for oily skin). Whereas each vitamin C and retinol will help construct collagen, defending in opposition to solar injury is vital to stopping collagen breakdown within the first place.
In case your scarring is extreme, skilled therapies similar to radiofrequency microneedling is usually a game-changer.
Sebaceous Hyperplasia
Final (however not least), having oily pores and skin makes you extra vulnerable to sebaceous hyperplasia as you age. Sebaceous hyperplasias are benign pores and skin growths that seem as flat, barely raised bumps. As I stated, they’re utterly innocent, however they could be a nuisance. I’m going to my dermatologist yearly to have these kinds of growths eliminated by way of electrical cauterization.
The Takeaway—Does Oily Pores and skin Age Higher?
As you’ll be able to see, there are many advantages to having an oily pores and skin sort. If you happen to’re somebody who hasn’t at all times felt good about having oily pores and skin, I hope studying about these advantages will help you embrace it! To recap, a better focus of oil glands results in thicker pores and skin, which is extra resilient in opposition to fantastic strains and wrinkles. Increased sebum manufacturing additionally means extra pure moisture and built-in safety from the weather, which will be useful for sustaining vibrant, even-toned pores and skin.
With that stated, having oily pores and skin doesn’t make you completely resistant to wrinkles, particularly deep expression strains. It additionally doesn’t defend in opposition to facial sagging, which entails deeper parts of our anatomy like fats and muscle. Oily pores and skin sorts can also wrestle with pores and skin texture and huge pores as they grow old, extra so than dry pores and skin sorts.
On the finish of the day, the easiest way to take care of wholesome pores and skin and forestall indicators of ageing is a well-rounded skincare routine constructed on your distinctive pores and skin sort. A skincare routine ought to tackle ALL of your pores and skin issues—not just some (and oily or dry is just one a part of the equation). Undecided what your routine ought to appear to be? Take this quiz to get started!
Lastly, keep in mind that ageing is a multifaceted course of affected by so many elements similar to way of life, atmosphere, and genetics. The way in which I see it, do what you’ll be able to to deal with your pores and skin, your well being, and your happiness, then benefit from the journey 🙂 I imagine stability is vital and I attempt to incorporate it into my on a regular basis life.
Up subsequent, be taught why you need to truly contemplate your self fortunate you probably have zits!

Celeb Esthetician & Skincare Skilled
As an esthetician educated in beauty chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching pores and skin, educating her viewers, and constructing an award-winning line of merchandise. Her hands-on expertise as an esthetician and trusted skincare professional has created a real-world resolution — merchandise which might be formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get precisely what it must feel and appear its finest. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives across the globe, her huge real-world information and fixed analysis are why Marie Claire calls her “probably the most passionate pores and skin practitioner we all know.”