There are many myths and urban tales in the beauty world, and maybe none more so than when it comes to skincare. And, although we’re not suggesting you shouldn’t follow your mother’s or grandmother’s skincare advice, the reality is that many of the popular misconceptions we’ve been taught are just that: myths.
Let’s get to the bottom of some popular skin care advice. According to renowned dermatologists from throughout the country, there are a few skincare misconceptions you should disregard.
Myth 1: Washing Face Prevent Acne
Fact: Acne is caused by a combination of factors, none of which are related to hygiene. Acne is caused by oil production, bacteria, blocked pores, and inflammation, with hormones and stress, as well as food, all contributing to the condition. Not cleaning your face will not improve your issue, but it will not cause acne.
Myth 2: Skin Exfoliation is Important
Fact: Once a month, your skin spontaneously loses its surface keratinocytes. Exfoliation does not require the purchase of exfoliators or the use of peels, facials, or dermabrasion. Applying abrasive solutions to your skin will rather harm your skin.
Myth 3: Eye Cream Does Not Work
Fact: If an eye cream includes the proper components and is tailored for your skin conditions, it can provide several advantages. If you’re concerned about eye bags or swelling caused by weariness, an eye ointment containing caffeine will help reduce inflammation and brighten your under eyes. Caffeine itself won’t do the work; it has to be coupled with smoothing, moisturizing, and brightening chemicals like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and retinol, which may help reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles while also giving the skin a young appearance.
Myth 4: Retinol is Unnecessary until 50
Fact: Retinol is frequently known as the “gold standard of skincare,” and it will remain so in the coming year. Retinol can help cure acne, clear pores, reduce wrinkles and fine lines, and level out skin tone by increasing collagen synthesis and skin cell regeneration. To respond appropriately, it is best to begin utilizing retinol in your mid-late twenties. After all, it’s far easier to avoid wrinkles than it is to remove them! Slowly include retinol into your daily regimen, around 2 or 3 times each week. After a few weeks, you’ll be able to use it approximately every day.
Myth 5: Sunscreen is Not Necessary during Winters
Fact: Sunburn-causing ultraviolet (UV) rays are less intense in the winter, but they are still there. The UV rays that produce the appearance of wrinkles, creases, and skin discoloration are present all year, thus sunscreen should be used all year. Since UV rays may penetrate clouds, you should use sunscreen every day if you expect to be outside.
Myth 6: Drinking Water Helps Hydrate Skin
Fact: There’s no proof that consuming more or less water is good or bad for your skin. Although drinking water might help with numerous health issues, water does not get absorbed by your skin instantly when you drink it. It hydrates our cells as it passes through the circulation and is processed by the kidneys, which aids in the general hydration of our bodies. However, if you are significantly dehydrated, your epidermis, as well as the entire body, will suffer as a result. Avoiding dry air, using a mild cleanser, and using a moisturizer or substances that assist keep moisture sealed in your skin barrier, such as hyaluronic acid, are the best ways to keep your skin moisturized.
Myth 7: Spray Tan Prevent Sunburn
Fact: A spray tan is nothing more than a color alteration for your skin. Having darker skin cells provides no UV protection. Many individuals still assume that a spray tan, like the fabled ‘base tan,’ protects them from sunburn. It’s worse in some ways since you probably wouldn’t be able to see your skin get red when it sunburns.
Myth 8: Natural Skin Care Products are Safer
Fact: Organic skincare products are frequently unsupervised, and they frequently include botanicals and essential oils that might cause immediate allergic dermatitis in certain people.
Myth 9: To Heal, Wounds Need to Breathe
Fact: There is compelling evidence that injuries should be coated and kept damp with petroleum jelly (or Vaseline) to allow them to heal. Allowing a wound to dry out will result in a crust, which will obstruct wound healing and exacerbate the scar’s look. Covering a wound will also assist to keep it from becoming infected.
Myth 10: Toners are Essential for Acne Skin Care Regimen
Fact: Acne-prone individuals are always on the lookout for treatments that can help them battle their greasy skin. Toners are promoted as a technique to remove excess oil from the skin after washing. Washing the face with a light cleanser and water, on the other hand, is sufficient to fully cleanse the face. Your skin doesn’t need to be completely clean and devoid of any natural oils. Toners used to be often prepared with alcohols, which have a drying effect on skin and promote free-radical damage. Toners with alpha and beta hydroxy acids can help exfoliate the face and reduce acne outbreaks, however, these compounds are commonly included in acne washes already.
Myth 11: One Must Use Exfoliating Device Regularly
Fact: Exfoliating devices can be beneficial to your skincare routine, although versions with rotating brush heads can be uncomfortable if overused. Individuals who used one every day to assist with oily skin and acne found that it made his skin dry and inflamed. One can use these devices a couple of times per week, while others may avoid them. But, it should not be used every day.
Myth 12: Hot Water Helps Skin
Fact: Washing or bathing in hot water strips your skin of its natural oils and moisturizers. This might cause the skin to become dry and irritated. Because your face is especially sensitive to hot water, even if you prefer a hot shower for your body, just wash your face with warm water.
Myth 13: Teenagers Get Acne
Fact: Acne affects people of all ages. While puberty is a common cause of acne in teenagers, there are many different varieties of acne that can develop later in life, and the same skin problems that exist in juvenile skin can persist into adulthood.
Myth 14: Cucumbers Can’t Eliminate Under-Eye Bags
Fact: To minimize puffiness beneath the eyes, many individuals use cold cucumbers. While the wetness has certain advantages, any cool compression will have the same effect in most cases.
Myth 15: Face Exercises Reduces Wrinkles
Fact: The idea is that by exercising the muscles of the face more, the face would seem stronger or tighter. This is not the case. The creases you have already are mostly irreversible. Any repeated stretching of the skin will almost certainly result in the formation of new wrinkles.
Myth 16: Pores Open and Close
Fact: Pores tend to loosen and tighten. They do not open and close.
Myth 17: Tanned Skin is Healthy
Fact: Tanned Skin is an indication that the skin is damaged. Hence, Tanned skin is not healthy.
Myth 18: Warts Are Not Contagious
Fact: The virus that causes warts can be discharged from the wart and spread to others through a cut or other hole in the body. A wart can be caused by touching a wart or coming into contact with things where the material has been transmitted.
Myth 19: Chocolate Can Cause Acne
Fact: Excessive sugar is not recommended, however, chocolate does not cause acne.
Myth 20: Lips Don’t Sunburn
Fact: UV Rays affect our lips in the same way it sunburns our body’s skin.
Myth 21: Waterproof Sunscreen Can Last 24 Hours
Fact: Waterproof Sunscreen is similar to conventional sunscreen. It is best to reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours if you plan to be outdoors.
Myth 22: Toothpaste Kills Zits
Fact: It may work because toothpaste has some of the same components as over-the-counter acne medications, but it also contains substances that aren’t good for your skin. Some of these may induce ugly inflammation and dehydration. Using toothpaste on a zit may not be “hazardous,” but it is not recommended
Myth 23: Products “Dermatologically Tested” are Trustworthy
Fact: “Dermatologist Tested” is only a marketing term, not an actual accreditation. This should legally imply that the product was tested by at least one dermatologist; nevertheless, it does not imply that the FDA, the American Academy of Dermatology, or any other body recommends the product. If you can’t identify the source of the recommendation, be careful of this claim.
Myth 24: SPF Protections Are All Same
Fact: SPF protection is included in a variety of products (not simply sunscreen). However, not all sunscreens offer protection against both UVA and UVB radiation. Many make-up products, for example, only provide UVA protection. If you’re going to be outside in the sun, be sure that any exposed skin is shielded from both types of harmful radiation.
Myth 25: Make-Up Ages You Faster
Fact: It depends entirely on the items you’re utilizing. Some cosmetics are genuinely beneficial to your skin. Makeup won’t harm your skin or make you age quicker if you wear it as directed, rinse it off every night, and stick to a good skincare routine.
Myth 26: Sun Can Treatment Acne
Fact: In some circumstances, including acne outbreaks, the sun might help to alleviate inflammation on the skin. The immune system, as well as the immune cells in acne, is suppressed by sunlight. This quick treatment comes with a slew of drawbacks and adverse effects, including an increased risk of skin cancer.
Myth 27: People With Oily Skin Do Not Need Moisturizer
Fact: This isn’t correct. For persons with oily skin, moisturizer still offers a lot of advantages. If you don’t hydrate, your skin will get dry, and the natural response is for the skin to produce more oil. If you have oily skin, search for a non-comedogenic moisturizer, which means it won’t clog your pores. Products containing cocoa butter and mineral oil should be avoided.
Myth 28: Feeling Tight is Good for Skin
Fact: Many people believe that “tight” indicates wrinkle-free. In general, tight skin indicates that the skin’s oily protective coating is overly dry.
Myth 29: Men Do Not Need to Moisturize
Fact: Males and females have the same skin, therefore moisturizer is good for both. The moisturizer keeps skin from drying out too much, which can cause blocked pores and greasy skin.
Myth 30: Popping Pimple is of No Harm
Fact: While there are several very safe at-home methods for removing whiteheads, it’s generally not a good idea to pop pimples. The act of popping pimples causes harm to the skin and can sometimes result in a scar. Occasionally, popping a pimple sends dirt deeper into pores and follicles, resulting in additional skin issues.
Myth 31: bo-to-x is Permanent
Fact: bo-to-x injections relax muscles and make the skin seem less wrinkled by blocking nerve impulses. Normally, this stage lasts 3-6 months.
Myth 32: Face mask Can Tighten Pores
Fact: A mask may eliminate dirt that makes a pore appear larger, but it does not modify its size.
Myth 33: Swimming in Chlorine Can Eliminate Acne
Fact: Chlorine can dry up pimples and make it appear as if swimming in chlorine improves acne in the short term. Swimming pool chemicals, on the other hand, can irritate the skin over time, causing further breakouts and inflammation, which can lead to more issues.
Myth 34: Only Sun Can Cause Skin Cancer
Fact: Skin cancer is most commonly caused by the sun, although it can also be caused by any source of UV radiation. Skin cancer can be caused by hereditary factors as well as other medical conditions.
Myth 35: Shaving Grows Back Hair Quicker
Fact: This isn’t correct. Shaving does not affect the hair follicle or the factors that cause hair to develop. While the way you shave or the grade of your blade may give the impression that hair is growing faster, this is not the case.
Myth 36: Wearing Hat Can Cause Hair Loss
Fact: Hair loss is mostly inherited. Hair loss is not caused by wearing a hat.
Myth 37: Butter Heals Burns
Fact: Butter may aggravate the situation. Cooling the skin while keeping it wet is the greatest thing for a burn. Any fatty material, such as butter, can trap heat and worsen skin damage. It is preferable to drink cool (rather than cold) water.
Myth 38: Men Do Not Need Body Lotion
Fact: Body lotion is beneficial to both men and women. Adding moisture to the skin keeps it looking young and healthy. While men’s skin produces more oil than women’s, the difference isn’t large enough to justify skipping body lotion.
Myth 39: Frogs and Spiders Can Cause Warts
Fact:Viruses in the human body induce warts. They are transferred when individuals come into touch with each other or when warts distribute the material to other surfaces, but they are not spread by frogs and spiders.
Myth 40: Moisturizer Eliminates Wrinkles
Fact: While a moisturizer cannot eliminate wrinkles, it does assist to prevent them in the future. Because your body becomes less moist as you age, existing wrinkles may appear less prominent if you moisturize regularly.
Conclusion
These are the myths we hear almost every day, which should be discarded right away to prevent harmful skin issues to occur. The best we can do is, contact a dermatologist, get our skin tested, checked, and examined for any issues, and get treated.
