Washing your face two or three times a day? Oily skin and the rebound effect

People with oily skin know the cycle: you wash your face in the morning, by mid-morning it already shines, you wash it again at lunch, and by the end of the day it is the same. The temptation is to wash more often, with stronger products. On the other side, some say that washing too much makes the skin "produce more oil to compensate", the so-called rebound effect.

Neither idea is entirely right. The evidence suggests that washing twice a day is the right balance, that washing more brings no additional benefit, and that the "rebound", as it is described, is not proven. What is proven is that over-cleansing, or cleansing with harsh products, irritates the skin, and irritated skin looks oilier and breaks out more.

What the evidence says about frequency

There are few studies on how often to wash your face, but one randomised clinical trial is widely cited. Choi and colleagues (2006) followed 24 young men with mild to moderate acne:

• For two weeks, everyone washed their face twice a day with the same gentle gel.
• They were then divided into three groups: washing once, twice or four times a day, for six weeks.
• Results: the group that washed once a day had more acne lesions than the others; the twice and four-times-a-day groups had similar results to each other.
• The authors' conclusion: washing twice a day with a gentle product is a reasonable recommendation.

The study is small and included only young men, but it is consistent with the recommendations of dermatology societies: twice a day and after sweating.

The type of product matters as much as the frequency

In a trial of 120 adolescents and young adults (Korting et al., 1995), those who used ordinary soap for three months had a slight increase in acne lesions, while those who used a synthetic cleanser (syndet) with an acidic pH had a reduction. Irritation was much more frequent in the soap group (40%) than in the syndet group (around 2%).

Does the rebound effect exist?

The idea

It is said that, by removing sebum from the surface, the skin "detects" the lack and produces more to compensate, ending up oilier than before.

What is known

• Sebum production is controlled mainly by hormones (androgens), by genetics, by age and by temperature, not by the amount of sebum on the surface.
• The sebaceous glands produce sebum relatively continuously. After washing, the skin has sebum at the surface again within a few hours simply because the flow continues, not because it has sped up.
• Studies on shampoos and the scalp concluded that so-called "reactive seborrhoea" was not confirmed, and linked cases of increased visible sebum to irritating products (Piérard-Franchimont et al., 1997).

What probably happens

When you wash too much or with harsh products, the skin barrier becomes irritated and dehydrated. Irritated skin:

• becomes tight and dull-looking on the cheeks, while the T-zone continues to shine, which gives the sense of "more oiliness";
• becomes redder and more prone to spots;
• leads the person to apply more products, sometimes heavier ones, and the cycle continues.

In other words, the problem is not a proven sebum rebound, but the irritation caused by excessive cleansing. The practical conclusion is the same: do not wash too much or with harsh products.

On the difference between oily skin and dehydrated skin, see Dry or dehydrated skin: what is the difference and why it matters.

Which product to use

The "squeaky-clean" feeling after washing is not a sign of cleanliness: it is a sign that too many lipids have been removed.

How to wash properly

Step by step

• Clean hands.
• Lukewarm water, never very hot.
• A small amount of product (the size of a pea to a hazelnut), spread with the fingertips.
• Gentle massage for 20 to 30 seconds, concentrating on the T-zone, without rubbing.
• Rinse thoroughly, including the hairline and the jaw.
• Pat dry, with a clean towel, without rubbing.
• Apply the treatment and the moisturiser straight away (light, non-comedogenic) and, in the morning, sunscreen.

In the morning

A gentle gel is enough. Oily skin with acne can use a gel with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, as indicated.

In the evening

If you use sunscreen or make-up, a double cleanse is useful: first a cleansing oil or balm (or micellar water), then the gel. Sleeping in make-up encourages spots.

After exercise

Wash your face as soon as possible after sweating heavily: sweat and sebum mixed with the friction of equipment encourage spots. If you cannot wash, use micellar water and wash afterwards.

What to avoid

• Washing more than two to three times a day as a routine.
• Electric brushes every day, on skin with acne or sensitive skin.
• Towels used several times.
• Rubbing the spots.

Controlling shine during the day

Instead of washing again at lunchtime:

• Blotting papers: they absorb sebum without removing make-up or irritating.
• Translucent or mattifying powder, applied to the T-zone only.
• Moisturiser and sunscreen with a matt finish or in gel form.
• Mattifying primer before make-up.
• Niacinamide in the routine: it has some effect in reducing sebum. See Enlarged pores: can they be "closed"? What is realistic.
• Retinoids, in the medium term, help regulate oiliness and pores.

If the oiliness is very marked and comes with acne, there are medical treatments that reduce the activity of the sebaceous glands. See Acne in adult life: why it appears in your 30s and 40s.

When to seek help

At Luxmed, the skin assessment helps you understand your skin type and condition and set up a simple cleansing and care routine. When it makes sense, a professional skin cleanse or a gentle peel can complement the routine.

This article is for information only and does not replace a medical consultation.

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