You know your type when you walk into a coffee shop or scroll through a dating app, but knowing your skin type isn’t always so easy. Don’t worry — we’re here to help.
Knowing your skin type is crucial to caring for it properly, so we at Love Your Body Medical Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada, want to help you and all of our patients know exactly what their skin needs.
Here’s your ultimate guide to determining and taking care of your skin type.
Everyone’s buzzing about knowing your skin type. There are a few main types: normal, oily, dry, combination, and sensitive skin. Your skin type simply refers to how much moisture and oil are in your skin and how sensitive it is. Here’s a closer look at each.
Normal skin isn’t too dry nor too oily and has few (if any) imperfections, no severe sensitivity, barely visible pores, and a radiant complexion.
Combination skin is the most common skin type. With combination skin, your face is dry in some areas and oily in others, namely the T-zone (your nose, forehead, and chin). You may also notice larger pores, blackheads, and shiny skin.
It’s pretty easy to tell if you have dry skin. Your skin can be cracked, itchy, irritated, and inflamed, and it can turn rough and scaly in severe cases of dryness. Other hallmarks of dry skin include:
If you have dry skin, you can likely blame it on age, your genes, hormonal changes, weather, exposure to the sun, indoor heating, hot showers or baths, chemicals in your soaps, and even medications.
Dry skin needs a bit more TLC than its counterparts and usually requires avoiding harsh cleansers and soaps and sticking to a consistent moisturizing routine.
Oily skin sufferers have enlarged pores and usually struggle with acne. Your complexion can be dull or shiny and may appear “thick.” Puberty, stress, and hot and humid weather are the main culprits behind oily skin.
We recommend that you wash your oily skin twice daily and every time you sweat a lot. Be sure to use a gentle cleanser and avoid scrubbing too hard. Also, take care not to pick, pop, or squeeze any acne that crops up.
Another tip: noncomedogenic products (those that don’t clog your pores) are your best friends — look for that label on all your products.
Sensitive skin looks different for everyone, but it’s typically red, itchy, burning, dry skin. If you have sensitive skin, the best thing to do is find out what’s triggering your flare-ups. The first place to look is usually the labels on your skin care products.
Does it really make a difference whether you know your skin type? We say absolutely yes. Knowing your skin type affects how you care for your skin and allows you to make informed decisions about what your skin really needs.
It also helps Dr. Divina Averilla select your aesthetic treatments and therapies, customizing them to fit your skin type.
But how do you figure out your skin type? We’ve got you covered there, too. Here are some easy “tests” for discovering your skin type.
One of the simplest ways to figure out your skin type is to evaluate your skin at the end of a typical day. If your face:
Remember that dehydrated skin (skin with a low level of water) is not a specific skin type but a separate condition. You can have any type of skin and still have a problem with dehydration.
The day test is a hands-off method, but anything from a tough workout at the gym to a windy day can sway your results. So, to hedge your bets, you can also try the wash test.
Wash your face with a mild cleanser and don’t apply any products or makeup. Wait a half hour and note how your skin feels and behaves.
Dermatologists can also help you get to the bottom of your skin care needs.
Knowledge is power, even where your skin is involved. If you’d like more help getting to know your skin, we’d love to help. Call or click to request an appointment with our expert and get the care and support your need to feel the most confident in your skin.
