Can trying to dry out your skin too much cause it to get MORE oily?

Question

I use a 10% Benzoyl Peroxide soap, and my nose is still super oily. Like...REEEEEALLY oily. Help?

Answer 1

I use Ivory soap and it works well for my face but it could just be me personally... My face is oily btw which is why I use this soap.

Answer 2

Well, in a manner of speaking- yes.  Your skin produces oil, or sebum - as a means of lubricating your skin.  When you wash the skin with a strong soap that dissolves the lubrication and removes it, the skin simply responds by making more.  And I hate to be a bearer of further bad news, but dry skin can actually break out more and worse than oily skin, actually.   Dry skin has had the normal bacterial flora levels disturbed, and removed much of the skins natural defenses against infections.  Things strong enough to break down oils aren't actually that good for the skin beneath it, and the irritation makes you more susceptible to infections as well.  You really only need a product like Benzoyl Peroxide applied to specific spots, not all over the face.  That way you can concentrate it's power on the spot you need it, and only the spot where it's needed.  For normal face washing, really all you need is a plain basic soap, preferably without perfumes and dyes, which your skin also doesn't need.  A lot of folks like Ivory for this purpose, which is about as basic a soap as there is.   Just be sure to rinse it off well to remove any soapy residue.  For cleaning of your face inbetween washing, witch hazel is probably your best bet.  It removes dirt, is a gentle antibacterial, and it's still pretty kind and soothing to skin.  It is the major ingredient in most acne facial rinses, and straight witch hazel is actually fairly cheap.  After using soap to clean with, use the witch hazel on a cotton pad to wipe down your face.  Then just apply a benzoyl peroxide cream directly to spots in question.  For an even kinder spot treatment, try tea tree oil.  It's as gentle to skin as the witch hazel, and still pretty tough on acne bacteria- and it won't dry out the skin excessively.  My teens mostly reserve the benzoyl peroxide for the rare really super zit that seems to resist everything else.  It's worked well in the past for me, and now in turn, four teenagers.  So it should help you as well.