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Oily skin:what is sebum?


Many of us go to war with sebum. Yet, it is crucial for maintaining youthful-looking skin and beautiful hair. But by the way, what is sebum? Role of sebum, definition and unsuspected benefits:Veld's experts give you all the tricks to control your sebaceous secretions, and even take advantage of them.

Sebum:definition

Do you have skin that shines during the day? Do you often get blackheads or other types of pimples? Does your hair look greasy at the roots? He is responsible:the sebum .

But what is sebum , exactly ? It is actually an oily substance produced by your skin, and more precisely by its sebaceous glands . They are located in the dermis (the layer under the epidermis) and are more or less numerous depending on their location.

For example, they are present in large quantities on the T-zone of your face (forehead, nose, chin). This explains the very frequent tendency to excess sebum on the nose (and therefore, to blackheads on the nose)! Conversely, you have very little on the palms of your hands.

What is sebum for?

Now that you have learned about sebum and its definition , beware of hasty conclusions. Sebum is not your enemy. Quite the contrary! It is essential for the good health of your skin and hair .

Once secreted by the sebaceous gland, it passes through a small excretory duct to rise to the surface of your skin, where it is evacuated through a small hole:the pore . There it performs several functions.

  • Mixed with sweat, it forms the famous hydrolipidic film. It is this occlusive barrier that limits the natural evaporation of water contained in your skin (its hydration, in other words) and preserves its suppleness.
  • The fatty acids in sebum also allow this film to maintain an acidic pH . This acidity is very important because it protects your skin from the proliferation of pathogenic germs.
  • On the hair side, be aware that sebum comes out through the same orifice as... your body hair! It will therefore lubricate them in its path to give them shine and prevent them from drying out .

Recognizing excess sebum:definition of seborrhea

In the best of all worlds, the skin produces just enough sebum to protect itself... without causing aesthetic damage. But in reality, it happens very regularly that the sebaceous glands get excited and produce more sebum than necessary. This excessive secretion of sebum is called seborrhoea .

It is this phenomenon that is at the origin of combination to oily skin, untimely shine , comedones , dilated pores , a skin texture with a grainy appearance and even oily hair . Because if you have oily skin, chances are your scalp is oily too.

What explains seborrhea?

The causes of an imbalance in sebaceous production are multiple. They can be both of internal and external origin .

  • The hormones are the first involved. Their variations during your life have a direct impact on the amount of sebum secreted by your skin. Androgen peaks in adolescence or progesterone during pregnancy increases the activity of your sebaceous glands, hence the shine and imperfections typical of these periods.
  • The use of unsuitable cosmetics should not be overlooked either. When you want to mattify your oily skin, you often go for products that are too stripping . The skin experiences it as an attack and, to defend itself, produces even more sebum. It's the snake biting its own tail!
  • And of course, this type of skin is usually hereditary . Note that it can be aggravated by the consumption of alcohol and tobacco , but also by stress and the effects of pollution.

How to regulate sebaceous secretions?

If you are bothered by the appearance of your seborrheic skin, you can take action to help bring it back into balance. There are many cosmetics and even food supplements on the market intended to support you in your routine.

But it is also possible to encourage your skin to self-regulate . This is also the subject of the latest beauty trend:the sebum cure . Declined for the face and the hair, it is supposed to promote a return to normal, and even bring you some additional benefits, such as softness and radiance.

Hair sebum cure:definition and instructions for use

You are prone to excess sebum on your hair ? This is the perfect opportunity to try the experience! The principle is simple:you no longer wash your head for a month and store all your hair products. The goal is to let the sebum flow naturally along your lengths to hydrate them and let your scalp rest.

The sebum cure for hair presents itself as a solution to the vicious circle “oily hair – aggressive shampoos – even oilier hair”. The key:regulated sebum production, but also a smoothed hair fibre , voluminous and shiny . If you are afraid of being looked at the wrong way at the office, follow the protocol during your holidays or in confinement.

The sebum cure for the face:a good idea?

On the model of the success of the hair treatment, we see appearing its variant for the skin. But the sebum cure for the face is not so recommendable . Excess oil on the nose, chin or forehead can seriously clog your pores . It is then the door open to bacteria... and acne, otherwise difficult to eradicate.

The solution to have clear skin:adopt the right care as soon as possible and bet on softness. It will be a question of cleaning your skin every day with a make-up remover oil to refine your skin texture. And above all, to continue to hydrate it with a light and non-comedogenic treatment .

It is for this reason that we always recommend our Pure Pulp Neo gel to combination, oily or acne-prone skin. Plumping, lifting and hydrating, it provides your skin with everything it needs to stay healthy without greasy effect , while acting on the signs of aging.