Oily crisis could be over

“Oily skin is just something that happens to some people, and while heredity can play a role, so do hormones. Oil production is stimulated by hormone production – so anything that causes hormones to fluctuate can cause the skin to become oilier,” says a leading Johannesburg dermatologist.

For women, hormone changes occur not only during puberty, but also at the start of each menstrual cycle, and during pregnancy and pre-menopause. For both women and men, any physical or emotional situation that disrupts the hormones can stimulate the production of sebum, which is produced by our skin to help keep it soft, supple and healthy. Some people's skin produces markedly more natural sebum than others, however, and this can result in skin taking on an oily feel and appearance.

“The best way to control this is with proper cleansing, using a good gentle cleaner, which will remove oil, dirt, skin debris and make-up with a mild, lathering action, leaving the skin clean and oil-free without the tightness and dryness that sometimes follows the cleansing of oily skin,” explains the dermatologist.

Now, leading dermatological pharmaceutical company, Galderma has launched Cetaphil® Oily Skin Cleanser in South Africa, following its success in Australia and the USA. The product, for oily, combination or acne-prone skin, is formulated to be a gentle but effective cleanser and is designed to thoroughly cleanse the skin without leaving it feeling taught or dry.

“Recent studies we conducted have shown that in people with moderately oily skin, the product, used twice daily for two weeks, was shown to maintain the barrier function of the skin and reduce sebum levels by up to 60%, without producing any significant irritation. It is non-comedogenic, so it does not clog the pores,” explains Turid Stacey, Marketing Manager of Galderma South Africa.

Cetaphil® Oily Skin Cleanser is available from pharmacies nationwide in 250ml and 125ml pack options. Suggested retail pricing: 125ml at R55.05 and 250ml at R94.40.