Busted! The Top Ten Skin Care Myths You Need to Know
Skin care tips and skin care products are everywhere these days. “Use this cream.” “Exfoliate.” “Drink more water.” “Buy this acne treatment.” Amid all the hype – and the constant influx of new products – it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. How can anyone know what’s true? Here is a breakdown of the top ten skin care myths -and what to do instead:
Skin Care Myth No. 1: An SPF 30 Sunscreen Offers Twice as Much Protection as an SPF 15
FALSE: An SPF 30 sunscreen actually offers less than 4% more protection than an SPF 15. The keys to good sun protection are to apply sunscreen generously, reapply often, and avoid the sun during peak hours.
Skin Care Myth No. 2: Scrubbing Your Face With Soap Will Keep Your Skin Healthy
FALSE: When you scrub your face, you’re taking off some of the protective oils and barriers, which tends to lead to rashes and even burns. Instead, use a gentle cleanser followed by a moisturizer or sunscreen.
Skin Care Myth No. 3: Expensive Skin Care Products Work Best
FALSE: Many mass-market products are better than expensive ones. Most active ingredients found in anti-aging creams are similar, whether they are sold by a local store or a fancy boutique. Expensive skin care products can be good, of course. It’s just that you can usually get something similar for a lot less.
Skin Care Myth No. 4: Chocolate and Greasy Foods Will Make Your Skin Break Out
FALSE: Many people have heard this from time to time, but there is no evidence indicating that they increase breakouts. They may not be healthy food choices, but they shouldn’t cause breakouts. The foods that most often are linked to breakouts are dairy products (when the breakouts are in the chin and jaw area) and citrus foods (when the breakouts are in the cheek area).
Skin Care Myth No. 5: I Have An SPF In My Foundation, So I Don’t Need To Wear Sunscreen
FALSE: Just because you’re wearing makeup with an SPF, doesn’t mean you’re protected. It has been reported that you would have to put on 14 or 15 times the amount of makeup that a normal person would wear to reach the SPF on the label of powdered makeup. The same thing goes for foundation and liquid makeup. Make sure you use sunscreen in addition to your makeup.
Skin Care Myth No. 6: All Oils Are Bad For The Skin
FALSE: When a consumer picks up a skin care product package and sees an ingredient with the word “oil” in it, and if their skin is already prone to oil, they will not buy that product. Although you may think you can only use oil-free products, virtually all creams and lotions use a form of oil or emollient to make the product slip across the skin. The “safe” oils are Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Safflower Oil, Jojoba Oil, Soybean Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, and Macadamia Nut Oil.
Skin Care Myth No. 7: Toners are Unnecessary
FALSE: A lot of people don’t like to use toners because they find them drying, and it’s because most toners on the market contain SD Alcohol 40, which is extremely drying to the skin and will encourage dry skin cell build up. But toners that are alcohol-free will not strip the skin, and are a crucial step in a good skin care regimen. They remove cleanser residue, chlorine found in tap water, and when the toner is left damp on the skin, your moisturizer will seal in the water and the active ingredient. The result is healthier and more hydrated skin.
Skin Care Myth No. 8: You Can Shrink Your Pores
FALSE: Many products claim to shrink your pores, but there really is no way to do this. Your pores fill up with oil, which stretches the openings of the pores. You can effectively minimize the appearance of your pores by having them cleaned out with regular facials, and also by increasing your exfoliation.
Skin Care Myth No. 9: If You Have Acne-Prone Skin, You Should Use Products Designed For Acne
FALSE: A skin care line geared toward acne is designed to fight bacteria and dry out breakouts. For someone whose skin is covered in severe acne, this is appropriate. But for most people who get some breakouts (but not on the majority of their face), acne products can make the situation worse. These products are extremely drying, and although they will help dry up and heal individual breakouts, they will over-dry other non-broken out areas, resulting in dead skin cell buildup. The cell buildup will then act as a barrier to trap oil under the skin, causing more clogged pores and breakouts.
Skin Care Myth No. 10: Oily Skin Doesn’t Need Moisturizer
FALSE: Oily skin doesn’t need heavy and greasy oil-based moisturizers (you’ve already got enough oil). But water-based moisturizers are necessary to keep the skin cells healthy and to discourage dead skin cell buildup.
Schedule an appointment with the skin care specialist of the Shapiro Skin Klinic for your best options.
Skin care tips and skin care products are everywhere these days. “Use this cream.” “Exfoliate.” “Drink more water.” “Buy this acne treatment.” Amid all the hype – and the constant influx of new products – it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. How can anyone know what’s true? Here is a breakdown of the top ten skin care myths -and what to do instead:
Skin Care Myth No. 1: An SPF 30 Sunscreen Offers Twice as Much Protection as an SPF 15
FALSE: An SPF 30 sunscreen actually offers less than 4% more protection than an SPF 15. The keys to good sun protection are to apply sunscreen generously, reapply often, and avoid the sun during peak hours.
Skin Care Myth No. 2: Scrubbing Your Face With Soap Will Keep Your Skin Healthy
FALSE: When you scrub your face, you’re taking off some of the protective oils and barriers, which tends to lead to rashes and even burns. Instead, use a gentle cleanser followed by a moisturizer or sunscreen.
Skin Care Myth No. 3: Expensive Skin Care Products Work Best
FALSE: Many mass-market products are better than expensive ones. Most active ingredients found in anti-aging creams are similar, whether they are sold by a local store or a fancy boutique. Expensive skin care products can be good, of course. It’s just that you can usually get something similar for a lot less.
Skin Care Myth No. 4: Chocolate and Greasy Foods Will Make Your Skin Break Out
FALSE: Many people have heard this from time to time, but there is no evidence indicating that they increase breakouts. They may not be healthy food choices, but they shouldn’t cause breakouts. The foods that most often are linked to breakouts are dairy products (when the breakouts are in the chin and jaw area) and citrus foods (when the breakouts are in the cheek area).
Skin Care Myth No. 5: I Have An SPF In My Foundation, So I Don’t Need To Wear Sunscreen
FALSE: Just because you’re wearing makeup with an SPF, doesn’t mean you’re protected. It has been reported that you would have to put on 14 or 15 times the amount of makeup that a normal person would wear to reach the SPF on the label of powdered makeup. The same thing goes for foundation and liquid makeup. Make sure you use sunscreen in addition to your makeup.
Skin Care Myth No. 6: All Oils Are Bad For The Skin
FALSE: When a consumer picks up a skin care product package and sees an ingredient with the word “oil” in it, and if their skin is already prone to oil, they will not buy that product. Although you may think you can only use oil-free products, virtually all creams and lotions use a form of oil or emollient to make the product slip across the skin. The “safe” oils are Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Safflower Oil, Jojoba Oil, Soybean Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, and Macadamia Nut Oil.
Skin Care Myth No. 7: Toners are Unnecessary
FALSE: A lot of people don’t like to use toners because they find them drying, and it’s because most toners on the market contain SD Alcohol 40, which is extremely drying to the skin and will encourage dry skin cell build up. But toners that are alcohol-free will not strip the skin, and are a crucial step in a good skin care regimen. They remove cleanser residue, chlorine found in tap water, and when the toner is left damp on the skin, your moisturizer will seal in the water and the active ingredient. The result is healthier and more hydrated skin.
Skin Care Myth No. 8: You Can Shrink Your Pores
FALSE: Many products claim to shrink your pores, but there really is no way to do this. Your pores fill up with oil, which stretches the openings of the pores. You can effectively minimize the appearance of your pores by having them cleaned out with regular facials, and also by increasing your exfoliation.
Skin Care Myth No. 9: If You Have Acne-Prone Skin, You Should Use Products Designed For Acne
FALSE: A skin care line geared toward acne is designed to fight bacteria and dry out breakouts. For someone whose skin is covered in severe acne, this is appropriate. But for most people who get some breakouts (but not on the majority of their face), acne products can make the situation worse. These products are extremely drying, and although they will help dry up and heal individual breakouts, they will over-dry other non-broken out areas, resulting in dead skin cell buildup. The cell buildup will then act as a barrier to trap oil under the skin, causing more clogged pores and breakouts.
Skin Care Myth No. 10: Oily Skin Doesn’t Need Moisturizer
FALSE: Oily skin doesn’t need heavy and greasy oil-based moisturizers (you’ve already got enough oil). But water-based moisturizers are necessary to keep the skin cells healthy and to discourage dead skin cell buildup.
Schedule an appointment with the skin care specialist of the Shapiro Skin Klinic for your best options.
