Characteristics and Types of Skin

Oily skin, dry skin, normal skin, combination skin, acne-prone skin... Each of them has a series of characteristics such as dilated pores, excess sebum, a feeling of tightness or shine. And you, do you know what type of skin you have? Keep reading and we will tell you.

Different skin types according to their characteristics

As we already mentioned in the previous post, the skin is one of the most delicate organs of the human body, which requires specific care, especially when we talk about the characteristics and the different types of skin we may come across.

Each one has a series of characteristics that distinguish it from the rest. However, there are times when these properties are so similar that it is hard to tell which is our skin type. But... do not worry! At Farmaciasdirect we tell you all about it.

Normal skin

Those of you with normal skin should notice that the T-zone (chin, nose and forehead) of your face may be a little oily, but in general terms, both hydration and sebum are regulated and the skin is neither too dry nor too oily.

How can you identify it? By checking whether it has characteristics such as a smooth and even texture, fine pores, good blood circulation and the absence of impurities.

Dry skin

The first thing we should know is that there are several degrees of dryness in the skin, depending on its intensity and how it manifests itself.

What characterises dry skin is that it produces less sebum than normal skin, which leads to a lack of lipids, needed to retain moisture and act as a protector against external agents.

As a general rule and regardless of the type of skin, the passing of the years and ageing cause the skin to become drier to a greater extent, despite its hydration. This depends on perspiration and on the supply of water to the deepest layers of the skin.

The characteristics of dry skin, very dry and extremely dry skin are the following:

• Dry skin: dull and fragile appearance, with a tight and rough feel.
• Very dry skin: feeling of tightness and itching, with a rough appearance and patches with light flaking.
• Extremely dry skin: frequent itching, with a rough feel, flaking, calluses and cracking.

In the case of extremely dry skin, it is most often experienced by the elderly or on hands and very dehydrated areas.

Oily skin

Unlike dry skin, what distinguishes oily skin is the excess of sebum, an overproduction known as seborrhoea. What are its causes? Stress, genetics, hormonal changes and imbalances, or products that cause irritation.

Oily skin can be recognised by shine, dilated pores, imperfections, visibly thickened and pale skin and signs of acne (in the T-zone, neck, shoulders, chest and back).

Combination skin

As its name suggests, combination skin presents variations in the types of skin in the cheek area (normal and dry skin) and the so-called T-zone (oily skin), with the presence of some imperfections. This variation is caused by a lack of sebum in the normal and dry part of the face and, on the contrary, an overproduction of sebum in the cheek, nose and chin area.

It is worth noting that internal factors such as hormonal changes or ageing, and external factors such as climate, pollution or stress, influence the levels of sebum production and the hydration of the skin. That is why, over time, we notice that our skin type has changed. For this reason, and to avoid as much as possible the appearance of imperfections on the face, we must turn to specific products and treatments for each skin type.

And what is more important, visit our dermatologist whenever we notice that our skin is unbalanced or has a dull and fragile appearance.