PSA: Your skin type can suddenly change. Here's what you need to know.

If you're a person with skin on your face, chances are you're constantly trying to battle against one chief skin concern. 

Be it dryness, oiliness or sensitivity — most of us have a careful edit of skincare products that we stick to in order to take care of these specific niggling concerns.

But what happens when you're skin suddenly... changes? Like, say you've been battling oily skin your whole life, and now your skin is dry?

It can be hella confusing. A wee bit scary, even. Especially when you've spent the majority of your life avoiding certain products, only to be thrust into a whole new world.

Watch: Speaking of skin... here are seven ways to improve your skin while sleeping. Post continues below.

So, what's the deal — can your skin type actually change? If so, what causes it to change? And what's the best thing to do if this happens? 

We ALL of the questions. That's why we hit up an expert to answer them for us (lazy, we know).

To find out more, we spoke to Dr Imaan Joshi from Skin Essentials to talk about exactly how your skin type can change  — and what this means.

So, can your skin type actually change?

According to our expert, yes — this is a thing. But it doesn't happen on its own.

As Dr Joshi explains. "Your skin is one of the largest organs and unlike most other organs, it is constantly exposed externally to the elements — wind, sun, UV, heat, cold and humidity." 

There are also internal factors like "hormones, stress, diet and sleep, as well as medication — both prescription and non-prescription,."

Meaning? Your skin can change due to a lot of different factors. 

"Additionally, ageing is a process that affects us all, including our skin, and continues to do so for life," she adds.

Hooray!

Why does your skin change?

Along with everything we discussed above (read: those sneaky external and internal factors), Dr Joshi said to remember that there are some really common stages where fluctuations occur — and it's totally normal.

One of the most obvious examples she gives us is the changes our skin undergoes during adolescence and puberty "when oily skin and acne are common, affecting up to 80 per cent of youth."

She also adds that pregnancy is another common time for skin fluctuations, as this is when hormonal changes can have a massive impact on your skin. See: things like dark spots, dry patches, acne and dermatitis.

As we talked about before, ageing is another common factor that will see your skin's needs and concerns shift over time. This is when things like "sun damage and collagen loss can be exacerbated by external factors." 

This includes "over-enthusiastic use of skincare that’s not right for you," shares Dr Joshi, but also factors such as "stress, smoking, sleep deprivation and medication."

She goes on to explain that the older we get, especially during menopause for women, the drier our skin will get. 

Again, this is totally normal and a thing most of us will deal with at some point in our lives.

"Almost everyone over 60 will have dry skin, so moving to gentle cleansers and skin care may also help."

What to do when your skin changes.

So, what should you do when your skin decides to pull a fast one on you? Should you stick with what you know and just hope it comes good?

Dr Joshi said, "I think of caring for our skin as being similar to paying attention when we are exercising."

"Most of us tend to go on autopilot when it comes to our skincare routines, which is okay if we have fairly stable skin type with minimal flares but not everyone’s skin is like this."

"So if you’re prone to changes, it helps to think of what might be happening and what you’ve changed as of late to see if it’s having an impact."

Meaning? You need to listen to your skin and adapt your skincare routine as necessary.

For example, "If it’s irritated due to a new skincare ingredient, pare everything back, go slower or stop — depending on what the feedback from your skin is."

"If it’s due to the introduction of an active skin ingredient, such as acids or retinoids, slow down and build tolerance slowly."

"If it’s a lack of enough sleep or a new medication unrelated to skin or stress, focus on how you might be able to reduce the effects of these factors," she suggests.

Above all, just be aware that addressing changes in your skin takes time — it's not an overnight kind of deal.

"It typically takes days to weeks once a process has been set in motion. So, be kind while waiting for the negative effects to settle."

Yes. If you identify an obvious irritant or stressor in your routine, Dr Joshi suggests pivoting your skincare routine. "Stop and see if your skin settles." 

For example, if there's a particular product that's upsetting your skin, don't try to power through. Remove that guy from the team, STAT.

However, this also doesn't mean you should constantly be adding new products to replace the ones you've taken out to try to 'fix' your skin's new concerns. 

Dr Joshi said, "If you’re trying so many different things too often/all at once in an attempt to try and fix the problem, you’re more likely to make matters worse."

No good.

Overall, our expert reminds us that less is always more, and sometimes simple means best. 

"Your skin is a living organ, so it’s often changing through our lifetimes. It helps to become familiar with your own skin type, what works for it and to stick to a simple regimen that gets the job done," she said.

"One of the recurrent themes I’m seeing in my clinic is people who’ve tried multiple avenues, including trends, influencers, family and friends, to address skin concerns without effect or even making matters worse."

"If simple measures don’t work, it might be worth seeking personalised advice and a treatment plan so you learn what works for you to maintain your skin at its best." 

Hear, hear.

Has your skin changed recently? What have you noticed and how have you changed your routine? Share your thought in the comment section below.

Feature image: Canva.