Different Skin Types

The very first step toward a healthy looking complexion is knowing your exact skin type, keeping in mind that the condition of one's skin is likely to change several times throughout the course of their life for any number of different reasons.

Truly understanding the skin, which is actually the body's largest organ, and why things like acne or other problematic conditions occur helps you to design a simple daily care regimen to keep your skin looking and feeling its absolute best.

Here is a list of the five basic types of skin:

Combination Skin: The vast majority of people are considered to have combination skin, which includes two different types, usually oily and normal, or oily and dry. Characterized by the familiar "t-zone," which includes the forehead, nose, and chin, leaving the cheeks and the skin around the mouth and eyes dry and flaky, or normal.

With combination skin, diligence is key as is experimenting with a variety of products on different areas of the face, varying your regimen as necessary.

Dry Skin: Dull and sometimes flaky in appearance, dry skin is caused by underactive or inactive sebaceous glands underneath the top layer of the dermis (skin). Sebum, or oil, is necessary to keep the skin protected and lubricated, however, too much sebum on the other hand, causes a whole new set of problems.

Hydration, starting from the inside out, is of the utmost importance when it comes to dry skin. Drink plenty of water as well to hydrate the skin during your skin care routine.

Oily Skin: Overactive sebaceous glands cause the skin to appear shiny, having a greasy texture with large pores that are often clogged as the sebum becomes trapped deep within. Even though oily skin is more likely to develop acne due to the constant "moisture," this skin type does seem to age better than any other as the skin is less prone to wrinkling, remaining soft and supple longer.

Normal Skin: Normal skin produces a moderate amount of sebum, usually maintaining a healthy balance between not too oily and not too dry most of the time. Although people with normal skin are blessed with relatively few problems in comparison to other types, all skin requires some amount of regular care, including protection from the sun and its harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Sensitive Skin: Sensitive skin actually encompasses several different types and can actually be normal, oily, dry, or a combination of all three in some instances. Sensitive skin is often considered to be more of a condition as opposed to an actual skin type as it tends to react to many different environmental factors such as cosmetics, the sun, and various allergens.

المصدر : عرب مكس