Ask A Dermatologist: How Often Should You Moisturize Your Face?
How Often Should You Moisturize Your Face? And what is the “correct” amount? If you have oily skin, should you moisturize as often as dry skin type? Whether you go through a tub of moisturizer for a week or rarely use one, these questions may come up as you build your skin care routine.
That's why we turned Dr. Hooman Khorasani to unpack your moisturizer concerns. Dr. Khorasani is a triple board certified, scholarship trained cosmetic and skin cancer surgeon. After Spicing Up After you see Dr. Having peppered Khorasani with questions, here's what he said in our Q&A about the most frequently asked questions about moisturizers.
What does moisturizer do to the skin?
Answer: Your skin is your largest organ and the most important barrier against harmful substances. Above all, hydrated skin strengthens the barrier function of your skin. Ceramides and other lipids are the main components of our skin barrier function. Sebocytes in our sebum glands help in the production of these lipids, which are needed for an optimal barrier function, by protecting your skin against moisture loss. Even people with oily skin need moisture as the oily skin is usually due to a negative feedback loop. The less moisture your skin receives, the more signals are sent to the sebum glands, for example, to produce more oil.
Does Moisturizer Benefit All Skin Types?
Answer: Generally yes. Moisturizing your skin will help prevent dryness, flaking, redness, and itching. Different parts of the body usually have different hydration requirements. This is just a function of the density of the sebum in the skin. Typically, the sebum areas of the face require less moisture than the rest of the face. The sebum areas include the forehead, nose, medial cheek, and mouth, commonly referred to as the "T-zone" of the face. Most of us have fewer sebum glands on our torso and lower extremities, so we need more hydration in these areas.
Some skin types have higher base oil production and therefore require less moisture than other skin types. The production of sebum is controlled by sex hormones and can fluctuate with hormone cycles. This is seen more often in women, but it can also be seen in men.
In certain people with eczema, there is a basic loss of lipid biosynthesis and thus a loss of the barrier function. These people are more prone to skin infections. Therefore, patients with eczema have a higher need for moisture than the average population. For these patients, preventing moisture loss is just as important as adding moisture. Taking quick showers with lukewarm water and adding humidifiers around the house can greatly improve moisture loss. Occasional use of baths with antiseptic solutions can also reduce bacterial stress and reduce the risk of skin infections.
What is the difference between humectants, occlusive materials and plasticizers?
Answer: We usually use the word "moisturizing" to indicate the application of any type of topical agent to the layers of the skin that will improve the hydration of those layers. However, there are generally three different categories of moisturizers, namely humectants, occlusive agents, and emollients. Humectants can pull water molecules out of the air and bring them to the surface of the skin. They are basically microscopic humidifiers on the surface of the skin. Examples of … organic humectants are honey, molasses, egg white and egg yolk, and aloe vera.
Emollients are various butters, oils, lipids, and fatty acids that can be applied to the skin. Depending on the active ingredients they contain, they are divided into ointments, creams, lotions and gels. Ointments are the most moisturizing but the least aesthetic. At the other end of the spectrum, gels are the least moisturizing, but the most aesthetic because they apply to the skin quickly and without major consequences.
Occlusions act as a physical barrier against water loss from the surface of the epidermis, the first layer of skin. They are the additional protective layer against external influences. For lovers of organic skin care, beeswax and thicker oils made from coconut, soybeans and olives are among the most popular occlusive products. These occlusions are a must have for people with extreme dryness and eczema.
Can you over-wet?
Answer: In any case, everything in life should be in moderation. I mentioned earlier that the negative feedback loop signals the sebocytes to produce more oil when your skin is too dry. Similarly, when your skin is too hydrated, your skin will signal to sebocytes to stop producing essential lipids. Excessive use of topical agents can also block your pores and lead to breakouts.
How Much Moisturizer Should You Apply?
Answer: Make sure your skin is washed with a gentle detergent to remove toxins and bacteria on the surface of the skin, and make sure your pores aren't clogged. If you have too much flaky skin, you can use a gentle scrub or scrub to get rid of the dead skin first. This dead skin layer prevents the effective absorption of moisture. After exfoliating, use a pea-sized amount of moisturizer on each side of the face. You can be much more generous with topical applications on other parts of the body.
How often do you use moisturizer? Let us know if the comments are below or on social media. You can also explore our range of moisturizers at an Eminence Organics Spa Affiliate and find one that suits your skin type.