Oily Skin: Seborrhea
Authored by
Pavesan Naidoo Msc (c) pharmaceutical science B.Pharm
Published 1st May 2025
What is Oily Skin (Seborrhea)?
If you have oily skin, you'll typically notice a persistent shiny or greasy look on your face, especially across your forehead, nose, and chin (often called the T-zone). Your pores might appear larger because they're working overtime to release all that extra oil.
This overproduction of oil makes your skin more prone to certain issues. It can lead to acne breakouts (pimples, blackheads, whiteheads), as the excess oil can easily clog pores. You might also be more susceptible to other skin conditions like folliculitis (inflamed hair follicles) or seborrheic dermatitis (a common rash that causes red, flaky, greasy patches). While it's most noticeable on the face, oily skin can also affect the scalp, chest, and back – basically, anywhere you have a lot of oil glands.
Why Does My Skin Get So Oily? The Science Behind Seborrhea
At the heart of oily skin is something called sebaceous gland hyperactivity. This means your skin's oil glands are working overtime. A major driver for this is hormones, specifically male hormones called androgens (which are present in both men and women). One particular androgen, called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), acts like a key that locks into specific receptors on your oil-producing cells. When DHT binds, it essentially switches on the machinery inside these cells that tells them to churn out more fats and oils. It's like turning up the production line in an oil factory.
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Beyond hormones, other signals can also rev up your oil glands. For example, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a chemical signal influenced by things like high-sugar diets and dairy products, can also tell your oil cells to grow faster and produce more oil. Think of it as another 'go' signal for oil production. Even stress can play a role through neuroendocrine factors; a substance called Substance P, released when you're stressed, can directly stimulate oil production. Similarly, a hormone released during stress, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), can also activate your oil glands. This explains why stress can sometimes make oily skin feel worse.
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It's not just about the amount of oil, but also its altered composition. In oily skin, the mix of fats in the sebum changes. You might have more of certain types of fats like squalene, wax esters, and triglycerides. More importantly, there's often less of an essential fatty acid called linoleic acid. This particular fat is crucial for maintaining your skin's natural protective barrier, much like the mortar between bricks in a wall. When there's not enough linoleic acid, this barrier weakens, making your skin more prone to irritation and, importantly, it contributes to the formation of clogs in your pores, which are the first step to acne. Furthermore, some of the fats in your sebum, particularly squalene, can get damaged by oxygen (a process called lipid peroxidation). This creates irritating byproducts that trigger inflammation in your skin, making redness and breakouts more likely.
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The way your oil-producing cells (sebocytes) grow and develop also gets dysregulated. There's a particular protein called PPAR-gamma that, when overly active, actually boosts the production of fats within these cells. On the flip side, another important protein called FoxO1, which usually acts as a brake on oil cell growth, gets suppressed. This means the normal controls on oil production are out of whack, leading to continuous overproduction.
Even tiny microbes and environmental factors can influence oily skin. On everyone's skin, there are tiny yeasts called Malassezia spp. While usually harmless, in an oily environment, they thrive. These yeasts feed on the fats in your sebum, breaking them down into irritating fatty acids. This can further irritate your skin and worsen conditions like seborrheic dermatitis, which often accompanies oily skin. Even your environment plays a part: high humidity, heat, and UV exposure can stimulate certain sensors in your skin cells, telling your oil glands to pump out even more sebum. This is why oily skin can feel worse in hot, humid climates.
Treating Oily Skin: The Science Behind the Solutions
One key strategy is androgen inhibition. Remember how male hormones (androgens) like DHT tell your oil glands to go into overdrive? Some treatments work by blocking these signals. Topical anti-androgens, like clascoterone (which you apply to your skin), directly compete with DHT to stop it from "locking into" those oil gland cells. Natural ingredients like saw palmetto extract and Green tea EGCG also help by blocking an enzyme that converts weaker hormones into stronger androgens. To make sure these ingredients get right to the oil glands located deep in the hair follicles, they are often delivered using tiny carriers called nanocarriers, such as ethosomes. This ensures the active ingredient is concentrated where it's needed most, effectively slowing down that overactive oil production line.
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Another important approach is sebocyte lipogenesis suppression. This means we want to calm down the oil-producing cells themselves and reduce the amount of fat (lipids) they create. Niacinamide (a form of Vitamin B3) is great for this; it helps reduce the activity of enzymes inside these cells that are responsible for making fats. Retinoids (like those used for wrinkles and acne) also play a role by helping oil-producing cells behave more normally and produce less oil. Zinc PCA is another ingredient with anti-seborrheic properties that helps control oil. For some of these ingredients, especially retinoids, they might be put into microsponges, which are tiny porous spheres that allow for a slow and controlled release of the active ingredient. This helps to maintain the treatment's effect over time and can reduce irritation.
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Controlling sebum oxidation and inflammation is also vital. Remember how oxidized squalene and other irritating substances can trigger inflammation? Antioxidants like Vitamin E, and polyphenols found in things like resveratrol and quercetin, work by neutralizing those harmful, irritating molecules before they can cause damage and inflammation. Additionally, ingredients like dexpanthenol help repair and strengthen your skin's barrier, which further protects against irritation. To ensure these sensitive antioxidants remain effective, they are often formulated into stabilized emulsions that prevent them from breaking down due to air or light, meaning they stay active to protect your skin from redness and irritation.
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Maintaining microbial balance on the skin is another strategy. While Malassezia yeast and C. acnes bacteria are normal, they can contribute to irritation and issues like seborrheic dermatitis when sebum is excessive. Ingredients like Piroctone Olamine and Ketoconazole are antifungal agents that help control the overgrowth of Malassezia yeast. Some products also include prebiotics (like inulin or oligosaccharides) that encourage the growth of beneficial skin bacteria, helping to create a healthier skin environment. For better effectiveness against stubborn microbial issues, scientists are even exploring biofilm-disrupting carriers (like liposomes containing EDTA) to break down those protective "slime cities" that microbes can form, making them more vulnerable to treatment.
Managing the visible shininess involves sebum absorption and mattifying effects. Ingredients like silica, kaolin clay, and various starch derivatives are like tiny sponges that physically soak up excess oil from the skin's surface, providing an immediate mattifying effect. Salicylic acid is also beneficial here because, beyond its pore-unclogging abilities, it can help reduce oiliness. These oil-absorbing ingredients might be found in porous microparticles within products, allowing for a sustained release of their oil-controlling properties throughout the day, so your skin stays less shiny for longer without needing constant reapplication.
Medication Delivery Systems Improving Treatment Outcomes
When it comes to managing oily skin, it's not just about what ingredients are in your products, but also how those ingredients are delivered into your skin. Medication delivery systems are like specialized vehicles that make sure the active ingredients get to the right place, at the right time, and in the right condition.1 This significantly boosts how effective your oily skin treatment is, making a real difference in how your skin looks and feels.
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One major goal for treating oily skin is to target where the oil comes from: deep inside the hair follicle, also known as the pilosebaceous unit. Since these areas are naturally oily, it can be tough for water-based ingredients to get in. That's why smart delivery systems use lipid-based carriers, like tiny "nanostructured lipid carriers" (NLCs). These are like microscopic oil droplets that can easily mix with your skin's natural oils and dive deep into the follicles. For you, this means that oil-reducing ingredients, like those that block androgen signals or suppress oil production, can directly reach and calm down the overactive oil glands. The result? A more significant and lasting reduction in overall oiliness, leading to less shine and fewer breakouts, because the root cause is being effectively addressed.
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Another crucial benefit of these delivery systems is stabilizing active ingredients. Many beneficial compounds, especially antioxidants like Vitamin E, are very sensitive and can quickly break down when exposed to air or light. If they degrade, they lose their power to help your skin. Delivery systems protect these fragile ingredients by encapsulating them in tiny shields, such as cyclodextrins or silica shells.2 This ensures that the antioxidants remain potent. For you, this means the product you're using stays effective throughout its shelf life, consistently working to neutralize irritating oxidized sebum and reduce inflammation. You'll experience less redness, less irritation, and a more balanced complexion over time.
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These clever systems can also provide sustained sebum control. Imagine a product that knows when your skin is getting oily and releases more active ingredients at just the right time. Some advanced delivery systems use phase-change materials, like special polymers that respond to skin temperature. When your skin heats up (which often happens when oil glands become more active), these materials can trigger a release of oil-absorbing or oil-regulating actives. This provides continuous control over shine throughout the day, without you needing to constantly reapply. For you, this translates to skin that stays matte and comfortable for much longer, boosting your confidence and reducing the need for touch-ups.
Delivery systems are vital for barrier-repairing formulations. Sometimes, in the quest to control oil, people might over-cleanse or use harsh products, which can damage the skin's natural protective barrier.3 This barrier needs essential fats like ceramides to stay healthy. Delivery systems can load ceramides into tiny liposomes that effectively deliver these vital building blocks back into your skin.4 This directly counteracts any barrier dysfunction caused by excessive cleansing or aggressive treatments. For you, this means your skin feels healthier, less irritated, and more comfortable. By restoring your skin's natural defenses, these systems help prevent dryness, sensitivity, and further issues that can arise from a compromised barrier, leading to a more balanced and resilient complexion overall.
