There has only been one time in my life when my oily face naturally “cured” itself.
It was when I was in the military, going through basic training for 12 weeks. Not so surprisingly, my acne also completely cleared up at the same time. It was one of the first times in my life that I could look in the mirror and see ME – and NOT just a shiny face.
I was 23 years old at the time… and still suffering from an oily face and some pretty bad acne (mostly on my upper back and shoulders). This was YEARS after puberty ended and the hormones had settled down. I wasn’t necessarily out of shape. I weighed about 180 at the time, and was very healthy since I worked out at the gym every day. My endurance wasn’t much to brag about, but I could throw weight around like nobody’s business.
Basic training “boot camp” was absolute hell, of course… as it is supposed to be. Military Basic Training is designed to break you down and then build you back up. It was training every day for the most part: push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, running, climbing, marching, going up stairs, going down stairs, more push-ups, more sit-ups, etc. You get the idea.
When we went to chow (aka to eat a meal) we ate some pretty unhealthy stuff at times. I remember looking down at my plate at two pieces of bread covered in brown gravy and wondering what the protein/fat ratio was in that single portion. But, we also ate some pretty healthy stuff that most people don’t eat on a regular basis: vegetables, fruits, whole grains.
But, what I remember most about basic training was how much WATER went through me in those days. Essentially, we were not allowed to drink anything else during basic training. No soda (not even diet). No Gatorade. No lemonade. No apple juice. No Cool Aid. I think we had the option for milk in our cereal at breakfast, but that’s about it. We had canteens that were filled with water whenever possible. We all drank a lot of water.
The change in my skin was pretty quick, but not overnight. I didn’t notice a change for about a month. But then, one day, I looked in the mirror around mid-day on a Sunday (they took it easier on us on Sundays) and noticed that my skin was smooth, clear, and healthy-looking. It wasn’t shiny or greasy looking at all. You could barely see my pores! I was ecstatic.
Also, the acne that I always had on my back and shoulders had almost completely disappeared!!! You could still see some darker spots where some of the “deeper” acne had been, but for the most part, it was a dramatic change.
Over the next couple of months, I took my new skin for granted. I didn’t really think about it too much, but my skin continued to get even better. To me, things were finally the way they should be. My skin was like everyone else’s now. I had nothing to be ashamed of anymore.
But, then something happened: I got out of basic training. I quit drinking so much water. I drank some soda on occasion (not much… maybe 3 sodas per week). I drank Gatorade or some other sports drink after a hard run, or a tough workout.
Long story short, my greasy, shiny face came back!!!!
At first, I didn’t put any of this together. I did not have a clue why my skin was normal one month, and oily the next.
After a while, I started doing some research on WHY this occurs.
Here is what I found:
You see, the liver and the kidneys process waste out of the body… but, they can only do so much so fast. Not drinking enough water will cause your kidneys to struggle, and become less efficient.
So, when you overload your body with fatty foods and sodas and sugar, those still have to be processed and filtered.
But, if the kidneys are not functioning at their full capacity, why don’t we all need to dialysis to stay alive? Because we have backup processes: the liver.
If the kidneys are busy, or not keeping up with the pace, the liver picks up slack for the kidneys.
But, the liver has a job to do too: metabolize consumed fat for energy.
If the liver is busy (doing the job of the kidneys), what is the body going to do with the fat that it cannot process? Well, it can store some, but it can only store so much of it at once. It has to get rid of most of the excess somehow.
Waste products are eliminated through both urine and bowel movements… but there is one other method the body uses to eliminate waste.
And that is through THE SKIN.
The skin is an often forgotten avenue to eliminate waste. Your body doesn’t just sweat to cool off the body. There are toxins being flushed out of your sweat and sebaceous glands too! And a pore is just another avenue to eliminate something that the body is trying to get rid of.
In this case, my body was trying to eliminate excess fat out through my pores! A lack of water was causing the entire system to break down. The symptom was the oily, greasy face and acne breakouts… but, the cause was a lack of water and, in turn, a lower capacity for my liver to process the fat in my diet.
That is why WATER is essential to eliminating an oily face, and achieving clear acne-free, healthy skin in general. Believe me, it’s so worth it.
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Wow. I understand now. I’m turning 17 and my face is so oillllyyyyyyyyyyy. Thanks. Hope this will stay free.
Yes, this website will stay free. I may eventually create some video programs that give people some “more advanced” tutorials on how to improve the health of their skin. If I do this, it will be very time intensive, so I may have to charge a little for those… but, the blog will always be free.
Well i just hope this does it…. Thanks!
Me too. Good luck!
STAY FREE! STAY FREE!
But this website has really helped and I will definitely take into consideration some of the things
Im only 14 and have a very oily face. My friends all have beautiful smooth and clean looking skin and mines greasy and gross
Thanks
I see myself in your story, I’d love to meet you and talk about this problem that it seems to me that no one understands. All I want to be is happy but my oily skin always takes my peace and my confidence. I really appreciate your time on doing this stuff, I really do. I’ll be in contact with you. Thank you.
Thanks for the comment, Christian! It’s true… unless you suffer from oily skin yourself, you really don’t know how much it eats away your confidence.
Milk is an excellent oil free cleanser and it doesn’t dry out the skin. Wash your face with milk so that the pores are not clogged with sebum/oil.
Hmmm…. Thanks Rosaleen. I’ll have to check into that one!
I think Genetic is the main reason why people get oily skin, also like the author mentioned, diet is very crucial too.
One thing though, whenever I work out a lot, especially strength work out, I get a lot of acne around my chin area, which has something to do with hormone level and I am 30 and my face would continue getting oily. I do not take any supplements and just drink water and Gatorade (one bottle during work out).
I guess it’s a curse from my dad since he has oily skin and I am also experiencing hair loss due to oily hair as well.
I have tried many cosmetic products and none of them seem to work (Trust me, I probably have spent a lot more than girls). My face just get super shiny after about 1hr of face wash and I have to get the oil sheets to clean my face at least 3-4 times a day.
One thing I noticed though was my oily skin get better while I am sleeping. When I wake up in the morning I always see the pores to be smaller and less oily.
Thanks for the comment, David.
I agree that oily skin and acne is mostly hereditary, but I also know that it’s usually the dietary tolerances that we inherit. For example, I remember kids at school that would eat total crap all day and have perfect skin… while I could eat a single candy bar and wreck my face for a week.
Although I am prone to oily skin and acne (under normal circumstances), when I completely clean up my diet and drink plenty of water, both my oily skin and acne go away completely. Within about a month, my skin is as smooth as porcelain.
I too spend a lot of time in the gym these days…. therefore, I recommend that you read over the section I wrote on Pantothenic Acid (aka B5). This particular supplement is especially effective in helping those who suffer from hormone-related oily skin and acne.
Hey! I have a oily face!!! (my biggest problem) which also can lead into acne, (forehead, nose, chin,cheeks). Need your help!
Hey! Need your help! I have a oily face (forehead, nose, chin) I want to get rid of it… what should I do?
Can I use face powder? tnxxx
Thanks for the question, Eireen. You could use powder, of course, but it would only be a temporary cover-up; not a REAL solution. In fact, it may even make things worse, since some powders can actually clog pores and lead to more blackheads and eventually more acne.
People who focus on the acne (instead of the cause of the acne) reminds me of people who try everything to “reduce a fever”… but a fever is a SYMPTOM of the underlying sickness or infection. Focus on the cause and the symptoms will clear up without you even trying.
Start with solving the problem from the INSIDE. Drink a lot more water, eat fewer processed foods, eat more organic fruits, vegetables and meats.
Also on this website, I recommend some supplements that can dramatically change the appearance of your skin in 6 to 8 weeks. Good luck!
Hi,
I have a oily skin from like 11 till now (I’m 14). I always had a smooth spotless skin but when I hit puberty I suddenly got a lot of spots due to my very oily skin. My mum brought me a lot of creams etc… but none really work, some make it worse.
I never drank much water or anything else… like 3 bottles of water a day and some milk. And even if I drink, I only drink water or milk, I hate the other stuff. So I will try to drink more water as you suggested.
I’m cleaning my face everyday like 2 times (I could do it more times but I read that if you do it too many times it might make it worse… and I’m too lazy to clean my face like 3 – 4 times…
). I also noticed that when we go on holidays (to a hot place like the Canaries) my spots temporarily go away. I think its due to the sun right? And also the sea? And when we come home from holidays (I live in Ireland, very wet place, but I’m from Slovakia tho) my spots and oily skin will reappear in a week or two.
It’s frustrating. And i have a low self-esteem due to this.
I just want to go out with someone, but I always feel embarrassed because of my oily skin.
Thanks a lot! I will bookmark this page and try the suggestions.
-Daniel
Thanks for the comments and questions, Daniel. Also, thanks for sharing a bit of your story with me and the readers of this site. Judging by what you wrote, it seems that you have the typical skin of most 14 year olds… so, don’t feel like it’s the end of the world, or that you are somehow alone in all of this. Statistically, 8 out of 10 teenagers have acne. Many of us have been where you are right now, oily skin, acne, low self-esteem, which leads to solitude and loneliness.
However, you can definitely improve your skin by taking a couple of basic supplements. Just don’t expect “overnight” success with this. Even on some strong medication, it can take 4 to 6 weeks to see improvement. With these supplements, you can expect roughly the same time period before seeing dramatic changes in your skin. When I was a teenager, 6 weeks felt like FOREVER. First of all, I would increase your water intake. I know that you said that you already drink a lot of water, but unless you are drinking about a gallon per day, you aren’t drinking enough.
Secondly, you should start taking Pantothenic Acid, sometimes marketed as B5. It’s a relatively cheap supplement, especially if you order it online. I write about B5 on this website, and there is even a link to the brand that I believe works the best. I believe that B5 should be required for teens with oily skin and acne, as they are the ones more likely to suffer from a Coenzyme-A deficiency.
Also, a second supplement I would recommend is Zinc. Zinc is great to add if you have acne. Zinc also helps with testosterone production, immune function, and a host of other processes in your body. So, not only will it help with your spots, but it will also help you get lean and muscular (especially when mixed with exercise and/or some weight training). I will writing more on Zinc very soon.
If you cannot afford to purchase any dietary supplements, drink water. Water is FREE (even tap water is better than not drinking enough), and it’s the #1 best way to flush toxins from your body and keep your kidneys and liver in good working condition. Search the Internet for “water acne cure” and you will find tons of people who swear that acne can be cured by drinking water alone, but I prefer to couple this with some carefully selected supplements to ensure success.
P.S. Your acne temporarily goes away because the sun and salt water temporarily dries out your skin. It’s very common. It’s not a good long-term solution, however, since sun exposure can cause a lot of other issues in the long run. Sun-damaged skin can look a lot worse than oily skin, in my opinion.
I’m glad to have found this site.
I went into the bathroom last night and did something I have been doing since I was a teen. I destroyed my face by picking at every little single pimple on my skin. I get so frustrated and angry about the fact that I have worse acne now (I’m JUST about to turn 22) than when I was going through puberty.
But the only connection I have made is that I have more natural oil now than ever. For instance, I have an IPhone, which means a very large touch screen. When I put my phone to my ear to talk to someone, no matter how little I have had the phone up to my ear there is also a very large amount of oil left on the screen. The sheen, the slippery touch, the never-looking-good-in-pictures. The list goes on.
The main reason I’m glad to have found this is because I only knew my skin was oily, nothing else. I never knew the why or how and I’m a firm believer in the fact that if you want to fix something wrong with your body then you have to understand why and how it’s doing these things from the inside out.
About water, am I the only one who thinks it’s sort of funny how: 1) almost any basic physical problem can be fixed or helped by drinking more water, and 2) the majority of people don’t drink enough of the most basic need the body has? People are so used to grabbing soda, juice, milk, energy drinks and other sugar-filled drinks it’s sort of sad. (Not saying I’m an exception, a nice cold Monster is so tempting when you are out and about)
Again thank you for all this information. I may have tried to perform a skin transplant if I hadn’t had found this ^_^
Thanks for the comment, Jamie.
I know what you mean about the oily residue on the phone… very frustrating. I don’t have that problem so much now, but it used to be REALLY bad for me. It’s even more embarrassing when someone hands you their phone, and then before you hand it back to them you have to wipe it off really quickly before they see the big greasy spot you just left on it. I remember those days like it was yesterday…. and don’t get me started on how good I got at avoiding pictures. I was better than a Sasquatch at dodging the lens.
Yes, obviously, I agree with you 100% on water being close to a “cure all” for just about everything. I won’t say that water is free, since I think that we’ve ruined just about all of the fresh water and needs to be processed to remove impurities before drinking, but it’s still a pretty cheap solution to many issues. Any time you drink something other than pure water, the liver and the kidneys have to work hard to process it… and when the liver and kidney’s become overstressed, that’s when problems occur.
I am currently working on a blog post that really digs more deeply into this issue of overtaxing the organs that are bodies use to cleanse our food and water, but let me just leave you with this for now: although there are some exceptions, in most people, the body will heal itself if you let it. Unfortunately, in our lifetime, it’s difficult to find food that’s NOT already toxic to some degree. In past generations, you could only find “cage free” chicken eggs, and grass fed beef and butter. Now, you have to pay extra for those things, because they are better for you and becoming increasingly more rare.
Also, I don’t know if you would call picking your pimples an addiction or not. I know that the word “addiction” is a strong word these days, and tends to carry some negative energy. But, I have chatted with others who had the same problem of not being able to keep from picking at their face, even when they didn’t have any pimples. They would pick at every little imperfection until their face was bleeding. In their case, I recommended them to check out a supplement called NAC and it worked amazingly well. It’s been known to help with cocaine addiction, gambling addiction and other addictive tendencies. Here is an article I found, if you are curious: http://www.naturalnews.com/022492.html
Hey, I was wondering if you knew whether drinking tea had any kind of good effect for the skin and the face. I know that it provides antioxidants for the body, but do you know of any facial benefits of it?
What do you do about the dark spots that acne leaves behind? I’ve tried a lot of different products but none of them seem to get rid of the dark spots.
I drink nothing but water. And I have for years. I might contribute my severe back acne clearing up from water. but I cant tell if that was the case. I’m just getting older. 39.
So. my diet isn’t great. I eat raisin bran and grape nuts in skim milk. and yes Mc’d's fast food crap a couple times a week. Couple Pizza’s a week so yea i eat a lot of fat still.
There are also times when I don’t eat much of anything except raisin bran.
Problem at 39. my skin is so so so oily. I’m constantly getting huge craters in my chest. and all the little blackheads on my forehead and temple. My ears are the oiliest I have ever remembered them to be. my nose is horrible. i can squeeze it a little and all the pores push out white oily stuff. its so gross. I get Cysts in my ears all the time and other places.
I had to start taking fish oil for my migraines. Would that not help the situation?
I know i have to change what I eat. and I hope grain cereals will be ok for me to eat as its a staple for me.
I feel i have to take a shower every single day if not 2 a day just to keep this oil at bay. i use alcohol to clean my face from time to time too. the black heads at the temples really suck. And the whole ear thing.
sorry so long.
thanks
Thanks for the comment, Dean.
I don’t have to tell you this because you already know this, but I’ll say it again: You are what you eat.
If you really stop and think about it, what else could you be? That’s why I always suggest that people start with water. The human adult body is up to 60% water at any given time. Water is used to transport nutrients, eliminate waste, etc. It is life. We cannot live long without it. When we don’t drink enough, it overtaxes our elimination systems (especially the liver), which puts a far greater burden on the skin.
But, you should certainly look at other parts of your diet too. I don’t know too many people that don’t love pizza, so I would never suggest that you completely give it up. Raisin Bran isn’t as horrible for you as the pizza (since it does contain some fiber), but it still contains LOTS of sugar. I’m not your doctor, and I don’t know your whole situation… but, I would certainly try adding a salad in there somewhere. The large salads from Panera Bread are awesome!
If you are 39 years old (my age), you should start thinking about eating healthier sooner, rather than later. There are a couple of movies that I suggest you watch, which are available on Netflix: “Forks Over Knives” and “Food Matters”.
As for the Fish Oil, keep up the good work on that… However, you should try adding a B-Complex Vitamin, a separate B5 vitamin (Pantothenic Acid), a separate Vitamin C, about 100 mg of Zinc, and try drinking about a gallon of water per day. If you were to do these few things, you should start seeing some positive changes in your skin in about 4 to 6 weeks.