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Problems With T-Zones

The T-zone is the area of skin on your face that includes your forehead, nose and chin. This region on many people's faces can be prone to excessive oil production. This oil is sebum and it can include a mix of natural skin oils and dead skin. Teenagers often experience the most problems with a T-zone because of natural hormonal changes, but people on hormone- altering medications, such as birth control, can experience similar problematic side effects.

  1. Oil & Sebum

    • Sebum, also known as oil, is a natural product made by human skin to keep itself moist. Too much can lead to a shiny glare on the face, be slick to the touch, and cause people to be self- conscious about their appearance. An over-production of sebum can result from multiple factors, including adolescence and hormonal changes, over-washing the skin and stripping it of necessary oils, leading to over-production, or living in a climate either too dry or too humid.

    Blackheads

    • Blackheads are a problem most often found in the T-zone. When a blackhead forms, it is because a pore on the skin has become clogged with a combination of dead skin cells and oil. Blackheads appear as pin-head sized black dots or bumps on the skin. Often confused with dirt, blackheads typically cannot be removed by simply washing the face. Instead, remove blackheads with gentle exfoliation to unclog the pores and remove excess oil from the T-zone.

    Acne

    • T-zones are often the first place that acne develops on a face due to oil over-production. Excessive oil, pores clogged by dead skin, hormonal shifts, stress and bacteria on the skin can cause acne. Touching the skin often can transfer bacteria from the hands to the face, sometimes leading to acne. To help avoid acne in the T-zone area, avoid touching your own face. Wash every day with a mild cleanser and a gentle exfoliating scrub. Scrubbing the skin too hard or using an overly abrasive exfoliant can have the opposite desired effect by causing skin to overcompensate and produce more oil that can clog the pores.

    Makeup

    • T-zones can prove extremely problematic for women who wear makeup. The excess oil found on the T-zone can cause makeup to cake on the skin, and potentially come off more easily. You sometimes can handle this problem by using oil-blotting cloths throughout the day, or using a makeup that won't clog pores, such as a light, loose powder.

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