When you have oily skin, it usually means the glands beneath your skin that produce natural oil called sebum are overactive and producing more than your skin needs. This can be due to several things, ranging from hormonal activity (which is usually the most popular) to a bad diet and little exercise.

People who think of oily skin also associate it with problems of acne. However, does oily skin necessarily mean you will be prone to acne outbreaks? Teenagers beginning to deal with hormone changes are often those most worried about this association, and it is important to understand the truth behind oily skin before hitting your personal panic button.

Here is the short of it: oily skin does not always mean acne. So first of all, stop stressing, as stress is a known factor that leads to acne outbreaks. Though oily skin is a very real cause behind acne outbreaks, it is not the only contributor.

The reason people get acne outbreaks along with oily skin is mainly because they are not doing enough to prevent it. Yes, there are people out there with severe acne which is difficult to control and requires medical attention.

However, this is a different case from the average Joe looking for some effective ways to treat and prevent acne outbreaks. When you have oily skin, the excess sebum causes dead skin, dirt, and other particles to become clogged in pores, leading to inflamed areas and places for bacteria to multiply in.

If left untreated, your face may become the site of a war zone as your white blood cells fight off the bacteria and pores try to breathe. More sebum during all this is not going to help the situation.

However, if you take the necessary steps to keep your face clean, your pores clear, and as little oil as necessary on your skin, you may easily be able to avoid acne outbreaks.

True, you will not be able to stop every little pimple that makes an appearance, but a few is much easier to treat than a whole troop. What you need to do is create a skin care regimen and follow it depending upon the needs of your skin. Some people need to wash their face daily, but others may only wash every other day, as too much washing will only push your glands to make more oil to make up for the loss.

You do not want to be counterproductive, so if you realize washing once a day is not working, do not become frustrated and wash more; do the opposite and try washing less.

There are certain things you will want to do in your new skin regimen that will help cut down on the oil and give you a better shot at being acne free. First you will want to cleanse your skin using a good cleanser and temperate water. You will then want to exfoliate, which will help clean out pores and get rid of any excess dead skin cells on your face that can add to pore clogging.

Once you have rinsed, apply an astringent to help close up pores. From there, you can either be finished for the day or you can apply other products meant to help soak up oil as your day goes by, or you can choose to use blotters to pat your face throughout the day in case you notice too much oil on your face.

You can find any number of products on the market that serve people with oily skin. However, you do not need a moisturizer as the oil does enough for you. If you really want one though, be sure to get a water based or other truly oil free moisturizer. As for astringents, you can either buy one or simply use very cold water on your face to get the same effect.

Keeping your skin clean and healthy is the key to avoiding acne outbreaks even with oily skin. With the right products and the right care, you will be able to easily deal with oily skin and have no worries over acne.