What is combination skin?Updated a year ago
Combination skin is a skin type that doesn’t fit neatly into either the dry skin or oily skin categories. This skin displays markers of both skin types, producing more oil in some regions of the face while feeling dry in others.
Generally, dermatologists don’t really talk about combination skin, but in 2005, a group of researchers set out to create a definition based on both regional variations in oil production as well as how the skin changes from season to season.
According to them, combination skin produces different amounts of oil in different regions of the face, but it also changes its oil production levels from season to season, with oilier skin in summer and drier skin in winter.
The reality is that the vast majority of people have combination skin. That’s because the skin type categories are much more of a spectrum than rigid, defined types, so combination skin encompasses the largest part of the spectrum.
The reason why dermatologists don’t usually talk about combination skin may be that it's often less problematic. Sure, those with combination skin can experience any number of skin concerns, but these skin concerns are less likely to be tied to your skin type.
Dermatologists and other professionals often concentrate their energy on those who exist on the ends of the spectrum because that’s where skin issues tend to crop up. Combination skin, on the other hand, is a little less likely to have issues, since those with combination skin are often producing the healthiest amounts of sebum.