Does Having Oily Pores and skin Assist Stop Wrinkles?

I grew up with oily pores and skin at a time when a matte look was all the fad. Even supposing individuals 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 a long time 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 pattern cycle, one factor has remained fixed. All through my profession, I’ve observed that individuals are inclined to imagine having oily pores and skin helps stop wrinkles and different indicators of getting older. However is it true?
I’ll say upfront, I don’t imagine one pores and skin sort ages “higher” than one other. In relation to getting older, every pores and skin sort has its personal benefits (and drawbacks). Pores and skin fads could come and go, however on the finish of the day, your pores and skin sort isn’t a pattern. 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 one of the simplest ways to create a recreation plan that permits it to age in a wholesome, sleek manner. You probably have oily pores and skin, this submit will educate you methods to do exactly that.
The Benefits of Oily Pores and skin and How It Can Assist Stop Wrinkles
What does it truly imply to have “oily” pores and skin? Individuals with oily pores and skin varieties (like Skin Types 1-4) have a better density of sebaceous glands. These are the glands that produce oil, and this oil is liable 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 take a look at some advantages you may not have thought of!
Larger Concentrations of Oil Glands Might Imply Thicker Pores and skin
One doable advantage of 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 susceptible to creasing or folding, which will help sluggish or stop the formation of wrinkles and effective strains.
Dr. Sam Lam, a board-certified plastic surgeon who sees a variety of pores and skin varieties in his apply every single day, echoes this perception: “One of the simplest ways 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 principle supply of regeneration. Individuals with oily pores and skin could 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 susceptible to collagen breakdown.”
He notes that this isn’t one thing that’s been scientifically confirmed, it’s extra of a principle primarily based on a mix of present analysis and his personal observations. After 30 years of working with pores and skin hands-on, I are inclined to agree with these observations.
Whereas oily pores and skin varieties could have a leg up on the subject of wrinkle prevention, it’s essential to do not forget that strains and wrinkles aren’t the one parts of facial getting older. Facial sagging and pores and skin laxity are a pure a part of the getting older course of, and having oily pores and skin doesn’t stop this.
Sebum Supplies Pure Moisture and Safety
Having dry or dehydrated pores and skin can contribute to the event of effective strains, so that is one other occasion when having oily pores and skin could repay. Our pores and skin has a more durable time holding onto moisture as we age, and having your personal built-in moisture from oil manufacturing can definitely be useful.
Sebum additionally acts as a protect for our pores and skin, so oilier pores and skin varieties could have a bit extra pure safety towards getting older 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 could be simpler to keep up shiny, even-toned pores and skin, one other attribute of youthful-looking complexions.
All nice information for shiny pores and skin varieties, proper? Earlier than getting too carried away although, do not forget that being much less susceptible to wrinkles isn’t the identical as being immune. One of the simplest ways to capitalize in your pure benefits is correctly caring in 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 susceptible to sure features of pores and skin getting older than others. The secret’s understanding which features we’re susceptible to and addressing them early on. As they are saying, an oz. of prevention is price a pound of remedy.
Beneath, the commonest getting older issues for shiny pores and skin varieties and methods to 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’ve got extra sebum flowing by means of your pores it might probably stretch them out, making them seem greater over time. This may not be tremendous noticeable while 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, massive pores develop into extra apparent.
A easy, even pores and skin texture is one key characteristic 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 a terrific factor to begin addressing early on!
How one can Stop Enlarged Pores
- Handle oil manufacturing by utilizing the proper substances for shiny pores and skin
- Preserve pores clear by getting common extractions and exfoliating at dwelling
- Use retinol to assist protect your pores and skin’s pure “cushion”
Be taught all about the very best technique for minimizing massive pores.
Pimples Scars
Whereas not everybody with oily pores and skin experiences pimples, many do—particularly of their youthful years (I do know this was the case for me). Breakouts can differ in severity, however in the event you’re somebody who’s handled deep nodular or cystic pimples, you realize all too properly it might probably go away behind indented scarring. That is by far essentially the most troublesome type of pimples scarring to take care of, and identical to enlarged pores, it might probably develop into extra distinguished as we age.
You possibly can handle the consequences of pimples scarring over time by sticking to a diligent skincare routine that features collagen-stimulating substances. Use a vitamin C serum within the morning to assist construct collagen and forestall additional injury. Use retinol within the evenings and take into account consulting with a dermatologist to work your manner as much as a prescription energy since this can give essentially 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 towards solar injury is vital to stopping collagen breakdown within the first place.
In case your scarring is extreme, skilled therapies similar to radiofrequency microneedling could be a game-changer.
Sebaceous Hyperplasia
Final (however not least), having oily pores and skin makes you extra susceptible 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 every year to have a lot of these growths eliminated through electrical cauterization.
The Takeaway—Does Oily Pores and skin Age Higher?
As you possibly can see, there are many advantages to having an oily pores and skin sort. Should you’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 towards effective strains and wrinkles. Larger sebum manufacturing additionally means extra pure moisture and built-in safety from the weather, which may be useful for sustaining shiny, 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 shield towards facial sagging, which entails deeper parts of our anatomy like fats and muscle. Oily pores and skin varieties may additionally wrestle with pores and skin texture and enormous pores as they become old, extra so than dry pores and skin varieties.
On the finish of the day, one of the simplest ways to keep up wholesome pores and skin and forestall indicators of getting older is a well-rounded skincare routine constructed in your distinctive pores and skin sort. A skincare routine ought to handle ALL of your pores and skin issues—not just some (and oily or dry is just one a part of the equation). Unsure what your routine ought to appear to be? Take this quiz to get started!
Lastly, do not forget that getting older is a multifaceted course of affected by so many components similar to life-style, atmosphere, and genetics. The best way I see it, do what you possibly can to maintain 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, study why you need to truly take into account your self fortunate you probably have pimples!

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 answer — merchandise which are formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get precisely what it must feel and look its greatest. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives across the globe, her huge real-world data and fixed analysis are why Marie Claire calls her “essentially the most passionate pores and skin practitioner we all know.”