Oily skin is a common skin problem faced by many during monsoons. Several factors contribute to this condition during the rainy season. With change in weather, you should make necessary changes in your skincare routine too. Due to increased humidity, many face a variety of skin issues during monsoons. You need to first understand your skin type to find appropriate solutions to your skin issues. People with oily skin should also give extra attention to their skincare routine. Increased moisture can lead to frequent acne and extra oil production. It can sometimes become a little harder to manage oily skin during monsoon.
Dermatologist Dr Kalpana explains, “Several factors can affect oil or sebum secretion including genetic, hormonal and environmental factors. So, secretion changes if there is hormonal imbalance. You may also experience a change if you are consuming a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates as these act as a stimulus for sebaceous glands.”
“Another major factor is the environment. Sebum production increases during summer and monsoon. In monsoon, days are highly humid that leads to less evaporation of sweat aggravating seborrhea and oily skin,” adds Dr Kalpana.
Dr Nina Madnani, Dermatologist at PD Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai, gives tips to manage oily skin during monsoon:
• Always carry tissue paper with you to dab the greasiness. Controlling greasiness can help you prevent a variety of skin issues.
• Scrubbing should be an important part of your skincare routine. But if you have oily skin, avoid frequent scrubbing during monsoon as it may stimulate the grease glands.
• A very dilute solution of alum can also act as an astringent.
• Calamine lotion also has grease adsorbing properties and can be applied before going out.
• Moisturisers which contain sunscreen or BB creams can be used as a single product instead of layering products. Also, avoid too much makeup.
• Cleanse your face with face washes that have salicylic acid/resorcinol 2 to 3 times a day with tepid or cold water. You should also take care of the pH level of your face wash. On-the-go facial wipes are also available but you should check their ingredients too. Certain oily-skin cleansers are specially made to not only wash off dirt, grease, bacteria and other residues effectively but also leave behind a thin film of moisture that acts as a healthy skin barrier.
• This is also the season to use toners that have ingredients like witch-hazel or tea-tree oil.
• Moisturisers are essential even for individuals with oily skin, to preserve healthy skin barriers. Choose water-based moisturisers. Gel-based moisturisers are well-accepted on greasy skins. Moisturisers for oily skin generally contain glycerine, dimethicone, propylene glycol water and other non-comedogenic ingredients.
It’s very important to apply the right products in monsoons, especially for those with oily skin. “You should also make changes to your diet. You should avoid fried, oily and sugary foods," said Dr Kalpana.
