Can you change your skin type?

• November 17, 2019

Here’s something that we wonder about often these days: since you can practically can change everything about yourself, can’t you also change your skin type?
Are we stuck with the skin type that we were born with, the same way that we’re stuck with our height for example?
We asked our favorite dermatologist Dr. Costi for some clarification on this hot subject.

What is your skin type?
So we asked Dr. Costi if we could change our skin type. The answer is: Yes and No, you can’t really change your skin type.
However, if you fell your skin needs some change, here’s the thing: you can transform it by giving it what it needs and whatever your skin type it can be glowing, soft and beautiful.
If you have dry skin you feed it moisture, if you have oily skin you clean it with astringents etc. This means that the way you take care of your skin, you can make the best of what you have.
Now another factor, says Dr. Costi, is that your skin type changes over time. This means that some things such as water content, oil content and sensitivity will vary with aging, hormones, seasons and medication.

How to manage your skin type?
Dry skin should be prescribed a more hydrating cleanser versus oily skin, which should be treated with a less emollient vehicle. If your skin is overly dry or you’re consistently having lingering breakouts, your current regimen may be upsetting your skin’s pH balance. To rebalance your skin to its healthy state, she says to look for the magic words pH-balanced.
Our skin is naturally designed to fight infection and environmental stresses and its ability to do so is affected by its pH level.
It is a thin, protective layer on its surface, referred to as the acid mantle. This acid mantle is made up of sebum (free fatty acids) excreted from the skin’s sebaceous glands, which mixes with lactic and amino acids from sweat to create the skin’s pH, which ideally should be slightly acidic – at about 5.5.

Many factors can interfere with the delicate balance of the skin’s acid mantle, both externally and internally.
As we age, our skin becomes more acidic in response to our lifestyle and our environment. Everything that comes in contact with our skin (products, smoking, air, water, sun, pollution) can contribute to the breaking down of the acid mantle, disrupting the skin’s ability to protect itself. Furthermore, as we age, the amount of oil or sebum naturally produced by our skin decreases, influencing the acid mantle and its ability to protect the skin.
The acid mantle is an effective form of protection, but if the pH level is too alkaline or too acidic, the mantle is disturbed and skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema and rosacea may result. That’s why you should pay attention to a skin care product’s pH.

And as for whether what you eat is having an impact on your skin, some people do note differences when staying hydrated or eating lots of fruits and vegetables. Many have also noted the direct correlation between acne and dairy products, recommending the elimination of such irritants when necessary.
In order to decide whether a food or a product is an irritant for your skin, Dr. Costi recommends eliminating it for a while (like a couple of weeks), to see if there’s a measurable difference before adding it back in small amounts.

A healthy conclusion?
Change is good but like anything that’s worth it, it takes time and effort. And aren’t you worth it?
For any further information please contact Dr. Costi.