Types of Skin

Skin, as you probably learned in health class, is the largest organ on your body.  It protects your other organs from infection and disease and cold weather and basically holds things in place.  So naturally, skin care is important.  To do that, you must understand the types of skin and which category you fall into.

Dry Skin - Dry skin is relatively easy to identify.  It feels rough and papery, and will often flake.  It may feel tight and it may get red and blotchy.  Usually, the most tell-tale sign of dry skin is that it will itch.  The good news is you're probably not going to get acne on dry skin.  The dry type of skin is relatively preventable with modern cosmetics and a change in certain lifestyle decisions.  Moisturizer is often necessary but should be applied while the skin is still damp rather than dry - right after showering.  This will hold the moisture onto the skin rather than re-moisturizing dry skin.  Dry skin is usually caused by prolonged exposure the dry air or long hot showers which wash away your skin's natural oils.  It also helps to bundle up in the winter time and maybe put a humidifier in your room.  Also, try not to wear clothing - like wool or hemp - that will irritate your skin.  Another factor that could effect you is over-soaping.  Unless you've been working out or doing something dirty, there's not really any reason to over-soap.  Parts of your body that aren't dirty (and aren't under joints) can be cleaned by rinsing them with water rather than scrubbing at them with a pumice stone.  You may, however, have dry skin caused by internal factors, most likely eczema or psoriasis, which can cause your skin to swell, itch, blister, bleed, or flake.  It is gross.  You'll want to consult a doctor about eczema or psoriasis and the proper treatment course you should take.

Oily Skin - This type of skin is probably most easily recognizable in acne.  People without oily skin can still get pimples and zits, but probably won't get full blown acne.  Oily skin is caused by overactive sebaceous glands, which causes oil to seep out onto the skin and make you look greasy.  Adolescence is a main cause of oily skin, as upped hormone levels can cause it.  For the same reason, you might have acne problems if you're pregnant or going through menopause.  The good news is that treatment is easy.  Go to the pharmacy and get some heavy duty facial cleanser and make sure you wash often enough to keep your pores from getting clogged.  You'd probably want to wash once upon waking up, once after any strenuous exercise, and again before bed.  Any more than that, and you're overdoing it.  This could result in your skin getting dry or pushing your pores to produce more oil.  If it's really bad, see a doctor!

Combination - This type of skin is relatively common.  Most people's skin is not uniformly similar all over the body.  Combination skin is, as the name suggests, all of the types of skin located on different parts of the body.  The treatment is the same as for oily and dry skin, but be sure you aren't giving all of the same treatment to all parts of the skin.  Oiling yourself up and then washing it all off won't do you much good, make sure you give localized attention.  If your legs are dry, apply moisturizer, and if your face is oily, wash your face with hot water.  The key is to strike that balance between over-treatment and under-treatment, and to do as little damage to your skin type as possible.

Normal Skin - This is obviously the type of skin you want to have.  This skin is not dry, red or flaky, and does not break out easily.  Pores aren't too large and don't get greasy.  You want to minimize treatment on this type of skin.  Don't spoil a good thing.  Applying moderate amounts of moisturizer is fine, and washing with warm water is okay.  Avoid over-soaping skin that you have no reason to expect is dirty.  Soap can wash off the oils that keep the skin healthy.

Sensitive Skin - This is a type of skin that is not necessarily too dry or too oily, but is extremely dependent on outside factors.  This could be skin that is just naturally pale and susceptible to sunburn or dry weather, or it could be over-medicated skin.  As noted before:  Avoid over-medication!  You want to make sure you're taking care of your skin, not damaging it.  Sensitive skin can be a broad term, so before deciding on treatment, look at the symptoms, and research what you should do for those symptoms.  If the skin dries out easily in cold weather, treat as if you have dry skin.  If you sunburn easily, use high SPF sunblock.  If you're allergic to nuts, don't take a taste-tour of the Skippy Factory (if you DO have allergies, consult a doctor or allergist before taking any action).  Know your skin type, and THEN treat it.

The proper path of action is determining what type of skin you have, deciding the severity of whatever condition you have, and taking proper action.  Most skin irritation is only a minor hassle that can be dealt with at the cosmetic or lotion aisle at your local pharmacy, but if you have serious problems that regular, over-the-counter medications and lotions can't take care of, see your doctor or a dermatologist and decide what the proper course of action might be.

Regardless, knowing your type of skin is an excellent first step, and should your symptoms be mild enough, you can make an intelligent decision on how to treat your skin to make it look its best without having to consult a physician.