30 Skin Care Misconceptions
Facial exercises tone facial muscles and make a
person
appear younger.
The face is the only part of the body where
muscles are attached directly to the skin; there are no facial ligaments and
tissue. Constant facial exercise and tugging contribute to additional lines.
Actually, wrinkles often form along expression lines caused by facial
movements.
Vitamin E minimizes scarring.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant and helps build skin,
but there is no evidence that it does anything to help with scarring. There is
even some research that suggests it may have a negative effect on scarring.1
Cucumbers help reduce puffiness around the eyes.
The principle ingredient in cucumbers is 90% water
with the balance being inert fiber. They can be soothing and, with moisture,
hydrate skin temporarily. The same results can be obtained from a cold compress.
Skin pores open and close.
Pores are openings in the skin that allow oils
(sebum) to reach the surface. If pores are larger, this can be due to dead
cells, genetics or scarring from squeezing blemishes.
The higher the skin protection factor (SPF) rating,
the better.
SPF ratings, soon to be revised by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA), only refer to protection from UVB rays. A person
needs sun protection that has chemical and physical blockers, plus
antioxidants. A higher SPF also gives a false sense of security and introduces
more potentially harmful chemicals to the body. Plus, an SPF of 50 is only
marginally more protective than an SPF of 15; an SPF of 30 has only 2% more
protection than an SPF of 15, and a 40 has only 1% more than a 30. Sunscreens
need to be reapplied every 90–120 minutes.
Layering several products with SPF ratings
increases
protection.
You are only protected to the extent of the higher
rating of one product. A foundation with an SPF of 10, moisturizer with an SPF
of 15 and a sunscreen with an SPF of 20 does not yield an SPF rating of 45.
Topical creams containing collagen can replace
collagen.
There is a lack of impartial, empirical evidence
that the topical application of collagen or elastin can penetrate the dermis, even
when using nanotechnology. They can provide moisturisation to the epidermis,
but only injections are conclusively effective.
Mineral oil is bad for your skin.
Today’s cosmeceutical mineral oil is a far cry
from the industrial type that was previously used on skin. It is a very
effective ingredient in helping remove excess oil from the skin. Oil attracts
oil, and the modern mineral oil formulated for use in skin care has a different
molecular weight and will not harm skin or clog pores. Mixed with kaolin—fine
clay—it makes a potent cocktail to assist in controlling oil production in
problematic skin. Vitamin A is the best ingredient to normalize skin.
Mineral oil is comedogenic.
Cosmeceutical-grade mineral oil is not
comedogenic. The myth is that industrial-grade mineral oil and lubricants are
the same as those used in cosmetic ingredients. So-called medicinal white
mineral oil has met with stringent safety standards. To remove sebum plugs in
the follicles, an oil-based substance is needed. Water-based products cannot
melt or remove sebum plugs.
Preservatives in skin care products are bad
Preservatives help prevent the growth of bacteria,
fungi and other organisms that can not only deteriorate a product’s
effectiveness and spoil the product itself, but also allow harmful bacteria to
get on or in the skin. Although there is concern about the use of parabens, the
research is not definitive that topical application leads to harmful
accumulations. Parabens are found throughout nature; for example, many fruits
and vegetables, such as strawberries, are naturally full of parabens. But
further study is needed.
Packaging is not important.
Packaging in skin care is vitally important—not
for aesthetic reasons—but to protect the efficacy of the ingredients.
Wide-mouth jars, transparent containers and pumps that are not airless all pose
problems in keeping ingredients safe and potent.
Chocolate and greasy foods cause acne.
Eating chocolate does not cause acne. Hormonal
factors, bacteria and skin cells are at the root of problematic skin, and
stress can exacerbate flareups. Some individuals may have allergic reactions to
foods that can cause inflammation, as well.
Natural and organic products are always better.
Buyer, beware! Many natural and organic products
are not as they claim. Plus, many times, active ingredients have to be
synthesized to be bio available and efficacious. Synthetic compounds can
actually be identical to those found in nature and be more effective. Natural
vs. laboratory-processed should not lead to an up or down decision about
whether a product is good or bad. Not all chemicals are bad, and not all
natural or organic ingredients are good.
Using larger quantities of a product will yield
better results.
Less is more. Normally, a pea-sized amount of
facial product will do the trick. Excessive amounts can cause skin problems and
waste money.
Blackheads are a caused by improperly cleansed
skin.
Blackheads or comedones are caused by clogged
pores, and excessive scrubbing can irritate and further inflame skin.
Blackheads often contain dirt, oil, and dry and dead skin cells that need to be
removed. Products that help dissolve sebum are the most effective.
Drying problematic or oily skin clears up acne.
The opposite is true. When skin becomes overly
dry, an environment is created in which the skin is signaled that is too dry
and produces more oil. Use drying products sparingly, and look to lightly
moisture oily skin. The goal is to keep skin balanced.
Get a base tan to prevent burning before going on
vacation.
Any tan is a scar, and there is no such thing as a
healthy, safe tan. Self-tanners are the safest way to obtain tanned skin.
All sun damage to skin occurs before 18 years of
age.
Sun damage continues to occur throughout life,
although recent information suggests less than 50% of sun damage happens before
a person is 18.2 It is never too late to protect your skin.
Indoor tanning is safe.
The argument that tanning beds and booths do not
cause skin mutations that may cause cancerous lesions to develop is patently
false. UVA rays found in indoor tanning lead to deeper, more harmful skin damage.
You do not have to have a sunburn to create damage to skin cells.
Antioxidants reverse wrinkles.
Antioxidants are essential in fighting free
radical formation and are important in helping prevent skin damage, but they
cannot make wrinkles go away.
Skin damage and signs of aging can be cleared up
quickly.
If a product sounds too good to be true, you can
bet its claims are false. The damage did not happen overnight, and it cannot be
magically repaired. Expect at least three skin cycles—a cycle can be between
21–40 days, depending on age—to begin to see measurable results.
All alcohol in skin products is bad.
Some compounds that contain alcohol can act as
emollients, which can decrease the skin’s water loss. Cetyl, benzyl and oleyl
alcohol are examples of good alcohols. It is important to know what comes
before the OH in chemical compounds.
Sun exposure will improve acne.
Yes, sun exposure can hide the appearance of acne
for awhile, but will lead to skin damage, pigmentation and drying that signals
the skin to produce more oil.
Alcohol abuse can cause your nose to become red
and
bulbous.
The intake of alcohol can temporarily dilate blood
vessels and make skin appear flushed, but in most cases, a large, inflamed, red
and bulbous nose is a result of rosacea.
Skin repair only happens at night.
A good night’s sleep is certainly helpful to skin
health; however, skin repair is ongoing. Inadequate sleep can cause stress,
skin puffiness and can slow the natural development of collagen.
Skin care products can last three or more years.
Despite a number of claims to the contrary, most
skin care products lose a great deal of their potency within 12 months. It is
best to use the entire contents within one year because preservatives do not
last forever and ingredients can get contaminated with bacteria, or they can
evaporate.
Strong scrubs, soaps and abrasives are good for
your skin.
Be careful how you wash your face. Too much
scrubbing or too many abrasive products can remove protective oils, create tiny
micro tears and contribute to aging, irritated skin. Less is more, and a gentle
cleanser and light moisturizer work well for most people.
Vitamin A thins the skin.
Actually, the reverse is true. Skin can become
thin due to the lack of vitamin A because it helps to create new, healthy and
normal skin cells. Vitamin A is arguably the most important skin care
ingredient, bar none. It is one of the few—if not the only—ingredient that is
backed by more than 50 years of objective, scientific research supporting its
efficacy.
The only form of vitamin C that works is
L-Ascorbic acid.
L-Ascorbic acid only remains in its most potent
state for a limited time. A new era in vitamin C formulations, one of the best
antioxidants for your skin, has arrived. There are several forms that have been
developed that are not water-based, which means they can better penetrate the
skin and remain more potent for longer periods of time.
There is one antioxidant ingredient that is the
best.
Every year, there is a hot, newly discovered
antioxidant that is touted as the best, but this is not true. A cocktail of
antioxidants provides better results than just one. Seek products containing a
plethora of antioxidants.
References
1. LS Baumann and J Spencer, The effects of
topical vitamin E on the cosmetic appearance of scars, Dermatol Surg, 25(4),
311–5 (Apr 1999)
2. WF Berfeld, A lifetime of healthy skin:
implications for women, Int J Fertil Womens Med, 44(2), 83–95 (Mar/Apr 1999
___________________________________________________________________________________
