What is My Skin Type?

Understanding your skin type is important for proper care of your skin! Do you have oily skin, dry skin, normal skin or… a combo?

We constantly hear commercials and see advertisements in magazines for companies advertising skin care products that promise get rid of wrinkles or give you younger looking skin. All the information can be pretty overwhelming!

Understanding the differences among the types of skin will help you know how to best care for your complexion as well as various types of skin care conditions. Your skin type can change as you age, and other factors like genetics and even illness can play a part. The environment, amount of time in the sun, diet, proper hydration and whether or not you smoke can also affect your skin and overall health.

Simple Skin Type Test

There is a simple way to tell which type of skin you have. Start by washing your face with cleanser. After blotting your skin dry, then press pieces of tissue paper onto each area of your face including your nose, chin, inner and outer cheeks and inner and outer forehead. Next, examine each tissue, looking for any oily residue or flaky skin residue.

How to interpret your results...

If all of the tissues have oil residue on then, then you likely have oily skin. Oily skin is actually the production of sebum by your skin glands. Oily skin can be genetic. Teenagers often have oily skin because their sebum glands are in overdrive. Oily Skin often experiences shiny yet coarse texture. Enlarged pores, blemishes, and blackheads are common.

If you find oil on only some tissues (specifically those on the T-zone, which is the center of forehead, nose, chin and center of cheeks) you likely have a combination skin. Those with combination skin may occasionally experiences dryness around cheeks and neck.

Flaky skin residue on all tissues - without oily residue - or a tight feeling in the skin indicates a dry skin.

No oil and no flaky residue on any parts of the tissue indicates a normal skin. No major problems with flakiness or oiliness. Skin is firm, supple and healthy and generally smooth, with small pores. You may experience occasional blemishes.

The Fitzpatrick Skin Type Test

Skin complexion types can range from light to medium skin that sunburns easily, or a darker complexion that rarely burns. Dermatologists often use a test called the Fitzpatrick Skin Classification Scale to determine a person's complexion type in regards to their tolerance to the sun.

The Fitzpatrick scale classifies six different skin groups which can help your dermatologist in identifying whether you might be at increased risk for developing types of skin conditions, such as darkening or lightening of areas of the skin (hyper- or hypopigmentation) or skin discoloration (dyschromia) as well as premature wrinkles and age spots.

Dermatologists often recommend rejuvenation procedures such as microdermabrasion, chemical peels or laser resurfacing to address these skin problems. There are, however risks involved in these types of skin procedures and we will discuss a safer, skin type solution for addressing these types of skin care conditions later.

Fitzpatrick skin types:

• Type I – Extremely white or freckled skin, burns with sun exposure (light skin; often in people with red or blond hair and blue eyes)
  
• Type II – White skin, usually burns with sun exposure (fair; often in people with red or blond hair and blue, green, or hazel eyes)
  
• Type III – White or olive skin tone, sometime burns with sun exposure (fair; seen in people with any hair or eye color
  
• Type IV – Brown skin, rarely burns with sun exposure (common in people from Mediterranean descent)
  
• Type V – Dark brown skin, very rarely burns with sun exposure (common in people from Middle-Eastern descent)
• Type VI – Black skin, not likely to burn with sun exposure.

Categories I–III have a lower risk for problems (e.g., skin discoloration, blotchy skin, darkening or lightening of the skin (hyper- pigmentation, age spots, dark spots, liver spots) and categories IV–VI have a higher risk of these skin issues.

With so many types of skin conditions and skin types, it can be hard to find a skin care that is able to address your ever changing skin care needs. I have a skin care system that can address your skin's ever-changing needs. This skin care is organic and can address every type of skin an changing skin care needs. My skin care is organic so you won't have to worry about any nasty chemicals that will harm your health.

To learn more about taking care of your skin and avoiding toxic skin care brands, be sure to get my complimentary

Skin Care Report!

Please contact me using the form below if you have any questions. I will be glad to get back to you as soon as possible!

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