Sebum — skin oil — is very often associated with something negative. We say: "I'm shiny", "I have oily skin", "I need to cleanse it thoroughly". Yet sebum is not the problem in itself. It is a natural and very necessary secretion of the skin that serves an important protective function. The problem begins only when there is too much sebum, its composition is disrupted, or the openings of the sebaceous glands become easily blocked. That is when blackheads, enlarged pores, inflammation, and acne can appear.
What exactly is sebum?
Sebum is a mixture of lipids produced by the sebaceous glands. These glands are associated with hair follicles and are particularly numerous on the face, scalp, chest, and back — which is precisely why these areas tend to become oilier and are more prone to blackheads and acne. Sebum reaches the skin's surface and, together with sweat and epidermal components, forms the hydrolipid mantle — the skin's natural protective layer.
Why does skin produce sebum?
Sebum has several important functions. First, it limits water loss from the epidermis — this makes the skin more elastic, less prone to dehydration, and better able to withstand external factors. Second, it supports the hydrolipid barrier, which protects the skin from excessive water evaporation, irritation, wind, frost, detergents, and pollution. Third, sebum helps maintain skin comfort — when there is too little of it, the skin can become dry, rough, tight, more reactive, and less resilient. This is why the goal of skincare should not be the complete removal of sebum. The goal is balance.
Oily skin can also have a damaged barrier
This is a very common skincare mistake: if the skin is shiny, it must need more intensive cleansing and less moisturising. In practice, oily skin can also be dehydrated, irritated, and have a weakened hydrolipid barrier. It may simultaneously produce a lot of sebum while feeling tight, burning, or flaky. In this situation, aggressive cleansing only worsens the problem — the skin loses its protection, becomes more reactive, and the sebaceous glands may work even more intensively.
Why is there sometimes too much sebum?
Many factors influence sebum production. Hormones — particularly androgens — play the most significant role. This is why oiliness often intensifies during puberty, before menstruation, with hormonal imbalances, or in the course of adult acne. Genetic predisposition, stress, incorrect skincare, overly aggressive cleansing, certain medications, the condition of the hydrolipid barrier, sebum composition, and a tendency toward keratinisation of sebaceous gland openings also matter.
It is worth remembering that the amount of sebum alone is not everything. Equally important is whether sebum can flow freely to the skin's surface. If the openings of the sebaceous glands are blocked by excessive keratinisation, blackheads form.
Sebum, blackheads, and enlarged pores
Enlarged pores appear frequently in oily and combination skin — not because "dirt" stretches them, but because the sebaceous glands work more intensively and the follicle openings are more visible. When excessive epidermal keratinisation also occurs, sebum mixes with dead cells and forms a plug. This is how open and closed blackheads develop. Effective skincare for oily skin therefore does not consist of drying it out, but of regulating cleansing, sebum secretion, keratinisation, inflammation, and the hydrolipid barrier.
What helps regulate sebum?
In the care of oily and combination skin, ingredients that work in a regulatory way without damaging the barrier perform well. Niacinamide supports the barrier and helps regulate sebum production. Salicylic acid works within sebaceous gland openings and helps with blackheads. Azelaic acid works well for acne-prone, red skin with post-inflammatory pigmentation. Retinoids regulate keratinisation, support skin renewal, and help with blackheads. Barrier ingredients — ceramides, panthenol, beta-glucan, and squalane — are also important. The key is matching them to the skin's condition. Even the best active ingredient can irritate if introduced too quickly or onto a damaged barrier.
What to avoid when sebum is excessive?
The most common mistakes are washing the face until it "squeaks", using strong gels and alcohol-based toners, frequent mechanical exfoliation, applying several active products at once, giving up moisturiser entirely, and over-drying the skin with anti-acne products. This type of skincare may give a temporary impression of "cleanliness", but in the long run it often worsens the problem — the skin becomes more irritated, and the sebum keeps coming back.
Can sebum production be stopped completely?
No — and it should not be the goal. Sebum is needed by the skin. Without it, the skin would be drier, more prone to irritation, and less protected. The aim, therefore, is not to get rid of sebum but to restore balance. A well-chosen skincare routine means the skin shines less, pores are less visible, and blackheads appear less frequently — without constant dehydration and irritation.
When is it worth consulting a specialist?
If the skin is very oily, numerous blackheads appear, there is inflammation, adult acne, or oiliness and a feeling of dehydration occur simultaneously, it is worth taking a closer look at the skincare routine. Sometimes reorganising the home routine is enough. In other cases, collaboration with a dermatologist is needed — especially when acne is severe, painful, leaves scars, or may have a hormonal background.
Sebum is not the enemy of the skin. It is a natural secretion that protects the epidermis, supports the hydrolipid barrier, and limits water loss. The problem is not sebum itself, but its excess, disrupted composition, blocked sebaceous gland openings, and incorrect skincare. Oily skin does not need to be punished with aggressive cleansing — it needs to be regulated, supported, and managed so that it regains its balance. Conscious skincare is not about removing everything from the skin's surface, but about understanding why the skin produces it and how to help it function properly.
Katarzyna Gwizdal, MSc, cosmetologist, Skin Laser