Combination Skin
Combination skin occurs when two different skin types occur on the face at the same time. Combination skin is when some areas are oily and some areas are dry.
The oily areas are located on the T-zone, i.e. the forehead, nose and chin. Cheeks are usually more on the dry side, but the degrees of oiliness and dryness can vary.
The T-zone also tends to have larger pores and is prone to breakouts, while the cheeks may feel rough and irritated.
Test Combination Skin
Not sure if you have combination skin? Take a tissue and press it against your face. If there’s oil on the tissue where it touched your T-zone, but no oil where the tissue touched you cheeks, you most likely have combination skin.
What Causes Combination Skin
A variety of factors contribute to combination skin. Sometimes it is just genetics. When it comes to combination skin, the causes and combinations are a little bit different for everyone. Generally, the areas around the nose, chin, and forehead have more active oil glands than other parts of the face.
Some people have rosacea and dry skin and others have blemish-prone, flaky, inflamed skin.
Combination skin also can be a result of the very skin care products you are using. For example, if you are using products that contain irritating ingredients, they can stimulate oil production in the T-zone area and, at the same time, create more dry skin and redness on the rest of the face. Also you may be using moisturizers that are too emollient, making your skin fell oiler and clogging up pores.
All the products you use have to be appropriate for the different skin types you are experiencing even if that means different products on different parts of your face. The following are causes of combination skin:
- Hormonal changes: can leads to changes in skin’s oiliness or dryness. Teens and young adults tend to have oilier skin, especially in the T-zone. But, with age, hormones change due to menstruation and the birth control pill, which can make skin oilier in certain areas.
- Lipids: also play a role in combination skin. These proteins affect skin’s softness and feel. When lipids are not evenly spread throughout the skin, certain areas will feel drier and rougher, while other areas may feel soft but oily or greasy. The organization of lipids in skin is due to genetics and hormones.
- Weather: can exacerbate combination skin. Dry, cold weather can cause skin to lose moisture and become irritated. Hot humid weather can increase oil production. This can affect your T-zone as well as your cheeks.
