Though a regular skin care regimen can keep combination skin looking good, if you want glowing, ready-for-your-closeup skin, you'll need professional help, says Amy Wechsler, a Manhattan dermatologist, in "Elle" magazine. Wechsler says most women benefit from a professional facial every four to eight weeks. To protect your combination skin from breakouts or dryness, you may want to avoid some types of facials.

Alkaline Cleansers

Ask your facialist to avoid alkaline cleansers or follow them up with a balancing toner, recommends Palm Beach, Florida-based aesthetician Tammy Fender in "Marie Claire" magazine. Alkaline cleansers can disrupt your skin's natural acid balance, making it harder for your combination skin to retain the right amount of moisture, explains Fender.

Scrubs

If part of your combination skin is oily, skip exfoliating scrubs, recommends celebrity facialist and author of the book "Complexion Perfection!" Kate Somerville in "Allure" magazine. Most scrubs are too rough for acne-prone skin and some may even cause scarring. If your facialist thinks your skin would benefit from exfoliation, ask her to use a lactic acid peel instead of a scrub, recommends Somerville.

Heavy Moisturizing Lotions

Be wary of petrolatum and other comedogenic moisturizers, warns Jennifer Linder, a clinical instructor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco, in "Marie Claire" magazine. These moisturizing lotions can cause breakouts, especially in oily areas of your skin. Moisturizer plays an important role in your skin's health, though, so Linder recommends requesting moisturizing lotions that contain water-attracting humectants such as hyaluronic acid.

Extractions

You don't have to completely avoid extractions, but you should be very careful if you decide to try them, since extreme pressure can lead to broken capillaries, explains Somerville. A salicylic acid cleanser and clay mask are a better option for oily areas of combination skin. If you need an extraction, let your facialist know that you have combination skin and alert her immediately if you feel intense pain during the process. It's also important to make sure that your facialist steams your pores before beginning your extractions, says Somerville.