# oily face



## Some Russian Guy (Mar 20, 2009)

My face secretes oil, constantly.. and I get zits as a result... does any one knows how to fight it?


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## Emptyheart (Sep 15, 2009)

Try looking for oil obsorbing sheets, they help big time!


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## this portrait (Jul 18, 2009)

I have the same problem, and no matter how many acne treatments and moisturizers I went through, it still remained oily. It doesn't get anywhere near as oily as it used to and I don't get as much acne anymore (thank God), but I'm pretty sure this is due to growing out of adolescence. That, and I found a better acne-fighting system. The only thing that really gets oily anymore is my nose, and I'm pretty sure this is due to my glasses (which I will no longer be wearing soon, as I am planning on getting contacts).

You could try a moisturizer, and see if that helps. It helped me a little bit back when I used to use it.


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## drealm (Jul 7, 2009)

Been oily my whole life. Like the above poster says, nothing worked. Just gonna have to get use to scars. On the bright side, you won't be called a pretty boy.


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## britisharrow (Jun 18, 2009)

Do not use soap, use a facial scrub with a neutral PH, ask in your local pharmacy for one. Use this twice a day, try one specifically aimed at spots. Commit to this twice a day for a few weeks and you should see a difference. It might also be worth asking your doctor for a tablet that mighrt ease the inflamation - perhaps cetirizine. Whatever he or she suggests, and stick to the dosage he or she suggests. But generally it is something you grow out off, trust me.


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

I started using an alcohol-based toner with 2% salicylic acid. I don't think it's helped my acne that much, but at least my face is way less oily now.

This is what I use:










Generally I only use it once a day because it irritates my skin if I use it too often.


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## ostorozhno (Sep 21, 2009)

Not much you can do about having oily skin, but you can take steps to help your acne. You should change your pillow cases/bed sheets at least once a week, wash your face often (even if it's just with water), and use a face wash that's oil-free.


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## timmytim7 (Feb 15, 2009)

some people suggest taking a high dose of vitamin b5, and a b-complex or multi-vitamin at the same time

tim


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## Some Russian Guy (Mar 20, 2009)

timmytim7 said:


> some people suggest taking a high dose of vitamin b5, and a b-complex or multi-vitamin at the same time
> 
> tim


How many multi vitamin pills should I take at onces ?


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## Some Russian Guy (Mar 20, 2009)

pita said:


> I started using an alcohol-based toner with 2% salicylic acid. I don't think it's helped my acne that much, but at least my face is way less oily now.
> 
> This is what I use:
> 
> ...


Thanks, I'll try that...


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

Do you not wash your face, or eat too many chocolate bars?


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## Meli24R (Dec 9, 2008)

Don't overwash your face or apply too many products..I read that could actually make it worse.
My skin used to get pretty oily, but it's gotten better as I've aged. My face still gets oily in the spring and summer though. I use Neutrogena rapid clear oil-eliminating foaming cleanser to wash my face. And for when my skin breaks out I use Zapzyt Benzoyl Peroxide gel I tried so many different products for acne when I was in my early teens. This is the only thing that works for me.


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## Some Russian Guy (Mar 20, 2009)

meyaj said:


> Do you not wash your face, or eat too many chocolate bars?


I wash my face at least every two hours... and I don't eat chocolate...


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

Some Russian Guy said:


> I wash my face at least every two hours... and I don't eat chocolate...


Okay well it was just a bad reference to a cheesy commercial, but washing your face every two hours is probably contributing to the problem...


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## Thomasjs81 (Jan 3, 2009)

I also have rather oily skin and would suggest you use a moisturizer which absorbs and regulates oil secretion. These usually have "anti-shine" printed on the bottle, and I find they clear my spots up; also make sure you drink enough water daily to keep your skin hydrated.


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## Some Russian Guy (Mar 20, 2009)

Pilfrom said:


> I also have rather oily skin and would suggest you use a moisturizer which absorbs and regulates oil secretion. These usually have "anti-shine" printed on the bottle, and I find they clear my spots up; also make sure you drink enough water daily to keep your skin hydrated.


will this be good ? http://www.walgreens.com/store/cata...ID=prod7229&navCount=0&navAction=push-product


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## Down_But_Not_Forsaken! (Jun 21, 2006)

Ask your doctor to give you a prescription for Accutane - it is a wonder drug when it comes to treating acne - i've used it in the past with great success!

It's not cheap - about $2+ a pill but it is well worth it to have clear skin.


Ray


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## Some Russian Guy (Mar 20, 2009)

Down_But_Not_Forsaken! said:


> Ask your doctor to give you a prescription for Accutane - it is a wonder drug when it comes to treating acne - i've used it in the past with great success!
> 
> It's not cheap - about $2+ a pill but it is well worth it to have clear skin.
> 
> Ray


thanks...

umm, does medicaid insurance covers this ? :um


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## shadowmask (Jun 22, 2009)

Try playing around with your diet and see what makes a difference. A lot of times, the cause of skin problems is internal, rather than external.


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## Down_But_Not_Forsaken! (Jun 21, 2006)

Some Russian Guy said:


> thanks...
> 
> umm, does medicaid insurance covers this ? :um


I'm in Canada so i'm not sure the way the U.S. system works. Our Canadian heath care doesn't cover it but your insurance might if it is private coverage.

Ray


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## No Surprises (Nov 1, 2009)

Do a course of Accutane. If that doesn't take care of the problem, then (like me) you'll need to apply a large quantity of benzoyl peroxide gel every single day. It's that simple.


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## Some Russian Guy (Mar 20, 2009)

Accutane is vitamin A... can I eat lots of carrots instead?


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## scarpia (Nov 23, 2009)

Accutane is a derivative of vitamin A. It works better. You can take large amounts of vitamin A - 50,000 AU per day for a few weeks should help. Zinc helps your body metabolize the A, so take 50 mg of that too. Eventually you will probably get overdose from this amount of vitamin A though. I did that much when I was in college. I remember having to reduce the dose after 6 months. Eventually it got to the point where I couldn't even take a 10,000 IU pill withouit getting headaches. I had to go off it altogether.


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

Uh... vitamin A is pretty toxic, especially in doses exceeding 10,000IU/day. You have to be very careful, you cannot just take that much vitamin A in its pure form (aka preformed vitamin A). You need to take the bulk of it in the form of "provitamin a" (aka carotene/carotenoids), which your body will more safely convert to vitamin A, although it can turn your skin orange-ish!


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## izzy (Dec 18, 2009)

It sounds like you wash your face too often. Cut down to maybe washing it in the morning when you wake up and at night before you go to bed. This includes when you take a shower. Have you tried Retin-A or a similar medication? That dries out your face and also exfoliates your skin. Don't ever touch your face with your hands, unless you've cleaned them. Fingers excrete oil, not to mention all the dirt and bacteria... Oil blotting sheets are awesome too.


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

izzy said:


> It sounds like you wash your face too often.


I already mentioned that but he didn't take it too seriously. Excessive washing move dirt and oil into the poors just as easily as out, and the skin keeps trying to compensate for the dryness by increasing oil secretions, just making things way worse.


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## aronthefrog (Dec 26, 2009)

*Proactiv*

I have oily skin and acne too. Proactiv 3-step system works for me. It costs about $20 for each kit and they mail you a new kit every 3-4 months.


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## Catlover4100 (Feb 10, 2009)

Emptyheart said:


> Try looking for oil obsorbing sheets, they help big time!


These are great because they remove excess oil without drying out your skin, which in turn leads to additional oil production, like most astringents and toners. http://www.eyeslipsface.com sells some fairly good ones for just $1 a pack.


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## Freiheit (Dec 8, 2008)

I have oily skin too but my acne is almost gone now and I noticed a significant change in how many zits I had to deal with when I stopped picking at my skin (a nervous habit). Also don't wash your face too often because it will dry out the skin and cause an increase of oil production which is obviously the opposite of what you're trying to get at.


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## Some Russian Guy (Mar 20, 2009)

I heard somewhere that face secretes oils, and pimples form because of one thing... lack of, umm... lack of sex...

Is it true ?


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Some Russian Guy said:


> I heard somewhere that face secretes oils, and pimples form because of one thing... lack of, umm... lack of sex...
> 
> Is it true ?


I don't get how sex would make any difference with acne. We exercise and sweat all the same; we eat the same stuff. We have the same emotions. :stu

I noticed that acne goes down with exfoliation. Keeping the skin free from clogged pores will do it.


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## 1applehearts1 (Jan 7, 2010)

clean n clear is great. im 20 now. i had mild acne during my teenage years and now i only get it if i dont wash my face. you grow out of it. i use the sensitive skin formula version of this toner and it works better for me, it doesnt irritate as much. out of all the products ive tried, clean n clear is the best for me 


pita said:


> I started using an alcohol-based toner with 2% salicylic acid. I don't think it's helped my acne that much, but at least my face is way less oily now.
> 
> This is what I use:
> 
> ...


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## Some Russian Guy (Mar 20, 2009)

millenniumman75 said:


> I don't get how sex would make any difference with acne. We exercise and sweat all the same; we eat the same stuff. We have the same emotions. :stu


It has to do something with sexual frustration, I think.


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

Some Russian Guy said:


> It has to do something with sexual frustration, I think.


As ridiculous it sounds there could be a bit of truth to this. Going without sex for a long time tends to slowly increase testosterone for a while. And high testosterone levels have been hugely implicated in the development of acne.


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## zomgz (Aug 17, 2009)

what helps me tons is to just wipe my face with a wet wash cloth whenever it feels oily. it's pretty easy and only takes a couple seconds =]. if it's bad maybe a couple times a day or before you go out.


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## Croquantes (May 15, 2009)

This is a pretty small piece of advice, but don't wash your face with soap and water in the morning, because your face will secrete oil to deal with dryness. Instead, just splash some warm water on and dry your face off. 

Instead, wash your face at night before going to bed. 

As for the zits, benzoyl peroxide really helps. I used to use a benzoyl peroxide face wash, which really helped with my pimples. I wouldn't recommend using it though if you don't -really- need to use it. Benzoyl peroxide contains oxidants which may damage your skin and lead to premature aging.

Also, how often do you exfoliate? My skin's really oily, and it has problems sloughing off the dead skin cells. The dead skin cells just stick around on my face, and if I don't exfoliate enough, the texture of my skin slowly becomes more and more rough. Exfoliation will make your skin look nicer, and give it more of an even tone/texture.


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## Georgina 22 (Jan 4, 2009)

pita said:


> I started using an alcohol-based toner with 2% salicylic acid. I don't think it's helped my acne that much, but at least my face is way less oily now.
> 
> This is what I use:


that looks looks quite nice. I have used Clean and Clear before...but not this one. This must be new?

I'll have to have a look in a healthstore, maybe superdrug or boots and get some. Maybe it'll help reduce my face become less oily and prevent spots

I have oily skin, always have. I used to have bad acne but now it's suddenly cleared up itself. I now just get the odd spot or even two or three at a time, but it's not that bad and I can cover them. I hate my oily skin. I wash my face or use cleansing wipes but in a couple of hours time, my forehead starts getting oily again and it makes my fringe greasy.


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## britisharrow (Jun 18, 2009)

Well if you _are _going to use soap then use a mild one, do not do what I did when I was in the mental ward. There was a block of carbolic soap in the shower room and I scrubbed my face with it and it burned my skin.


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## eagleheart (Jun 14, 2007)

Emptyheart said:


> Try looking for oil obsorbing sheets, they help big time!


Yeah those are good for the shiny look. As for the acne, heck if I know. :no

It was so bad when I was younger, I was on Accutane. It is not like that now but it is still a problem that I have not entirely grown out of going into my mid-twenties. (I am a girl.) In my case it may be related to a hormonal or endocrine problem.

Two of the things that I have found to help somewhat in the past, from a doctor, were, unfortunately I can't remember but I think it was cephalexin or Keflex (these were tablets that stenched VERY bad but were helpful for me), and Polysporin cream (as opposed to ointment).

Unfortunately not only is this frustrating to begin with, it also seems to be variable by person! So as with many things, different people will have different results! I am on a medication that for some people, it could make the acne worse!


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## Shrinking Violet (Oct 11, 2010)

I have pretty oily skin too. I don't really know how to control it, but from everything that I've read about it, there are two very common triggers for it: carbohydrates and stress. Eating too much sugar (even in the form of starches like bread, pasta, potatoes) causes your body to excrete a lot of insulin, which affects other hormones that control sebum secretion. Stress also affects these hormones.

I'm not saying that this will be an answer for you, but you can at least read about it. I have heard about people that have controlled oily skin by switching to a mostly meat and vegetable-based diet. There's also a genetic factor. Some people just have oilier skin because of that. Also, think very carefully before considering Accutane. It's very powerful, and the side effects might be worse than the advantages.


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## CrunchyCarrot (Feb 13, 2009)

Has anyone ever tried http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/
?

It might sound ridiculous to put oil on your already oily skin, but I tried it, and my skin was definitely less oily. Now, I only did this for a week, so it didn't clear my skin. I might try it again and stick with it.


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## sas111 (Oct 20, 2010)

I had this problem too , go to your doctor & get perscribed Retin-A gel .. it gradually lessens acne & takes off layers of your skin called - " cell turnover" , this gets rid of acne scars.

Also, drink 10 cups of ice cold water a day & cut out a few procesed foods from your diet.


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