If you deal with oily, congested skin then you may have noticed those white or sometimes yellow-colored plugs around the oiliest areas of your skin, specifically the t-zone. These plugs, called sebaceous filaments, pop up because of a build up of oil and dead skin cells.
But, this isn’t the only sign of congested skin. Congested skin also results in rough texture, blackheads, whiteheads, and other types of breakouts.
So what are the culprits behind congested skin?
Causes of congested skin
Congested skin starts with excess sebum, dead skin cells, dirt, and sweat clogging up your pores. Lots of different factors play a role in why your pores end up getting clogged up with all that gunk.
If you have oily skin, then you are likely already familiar with congestion in your skin. With all that extra oil sitting on your skin, it’s much more likely that you’ll experience clogged pores that can lead to blackheads and breakouts.
Similarly, fluctuations in your hormones can cause oil production to go into overdrive. This is why during their period women tend to break out more. Just as with oily skin types, the excess oil production can clog up pores and trigger acne breakouts.
Sometimes using the wrong products for your skin can also contribute to congestion. For example, if you have oily skin and use skincare products with heavy ingredients like oil or butters (like shea or cocoa), then you might clog up your pores. Heavy products and oily skin don’t tend to mix well. Some oils can be comedogenic which basically means they have a tendency to clog your pores. And if you’re already dealing with oily skin this may only make the congestion worse.
How to treat congested skin
Now that we know the causes, the best plan of action is prevention. Since the root causes of congested skin involve excess sebum, dead skin, dirt, and sweat, you’ll want to tackle these factors first.
Having a good cleanser that works for your skin type is the first step in addressing congested skin. So, if you have oily skin try out a foaming cleanser to help rid the skin of pore-clogging elements.
Add an exfoliating or pore-targeting treatment to your routine. If you consistently have issues with congested skin, you can try out a pore-clearing leave-on product like an exfoliant or toner. An exfoliant or toner with ingredients like Salicylic Acid helps clear out the gunk trapped in pores to help improve the look of congested skin.
When it comes to a moisturizer, stick to lightweight, water-based moisturizers. You want to avoid comedogenic moisturizers that contain oils and butters that could clog up pores. Lightweight moisturizers are also helpful in keeping oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy on the skin.
Manage congested skin with Dermafix
The best way to treat congested skin is with a consistent routine.
Our Dermafix line was formulated with some oily-skin friendly, pore-cleansing ingredients like Green Tea, Witch Hazel, and Calamine. Together this combo helps absorb excess oil sitting on the skin and helps balance sebum to improve congested skin.
Check out our pore-purifying routine with Dermafix:
Step 1: Dermafix Blemish Toner
After cleansing the skin apply the toner to help remove any lingering makeup, excess oil, sweat, and dirt.
Step 2: Dermafix Blemish Moisturizer
Follow up the toner with our lightweight moisturizer to help balance oil on the skin and hydrate without a heavy feel on the skin.
Lastly, if your skin is going through it, apply the sheet mask as needed to help relieve blemished skin and cool the skin.
