Lifestyle
Confronting Skin Care Myths
With all the buzz and hype about must-have skin care treatments, revolutionary new products and amazing “expert” advice, consumers are inundated with information — some of it true and some not so true. Let’s put these common misconceptions and skin care myths to rest.
1. You know your skin care products are working when your skin tingles
That tingling sensation isn’t telling you the product is working — it’s telling you that your skin is irritated and inflamed. Though your skin may look or feel cleaner right now, over time the use of these tingling products can do damage to your skin. Irritants can break down collagen and elastin, and actually damage your skin’s healing process.
2. You should switch your skin care products every few months because your skin adapts
This is simply not true. Your skin does not adapt to products, rendering them ineffective. Your skin might stop improving as much as it did initially — but that’s because your skin may have needed more help when you first started using a particular product and now your skin is healthier.
3. A product with SPF 30 provides twice as much protection as SPF 15
In reality, SPF 30 provides only about 4 percent more protection than SPF 15. To maximize your sun protection, apply sunscreen generously, reapply often (especially after being in the water) and avoid being in the sun during peak hours. It is therefore not true that the higher the SPF, the better the protection.There are three kinds of ultraviolet (UV) rays: UVA, UVB and UVC. UVA rays penetrate the skin fairly deeply, altering your pigmentation to produce a tan. UVB rays are the primary sunburn rays. These rays also damage your skin’s DNA and cause photoaging, pigment changes, and carcinomas (cancerous tumors). UVC rays are absorbed by the atmosphere and don’t make it to the ground. The SPF on a sunscreen refers to the amount of protection the product offers from UVB rays or sunburns. Many sunscreens, therefore, need to offer protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Broad spectrum means protection against UVA and UVB. Look for an SPF of at least 15 and one of the following ingredients: mexoryl, oxybenzone or avobenzone (Parsol 1789) for UVA protection, or titanium dioxide.
(Image credit: skinhealth.workswithwater.co.uk)
4. Greasy foods cause acne
Though greasy foods are probably not the healthiest choices, there’s no evidence that they cause acne. In fact, dairy products and citrus products are more likely to cause acne breakouts than greasy foods or even chocolate.
5. Blackheads are due to dirty skin
Though they are dark in color, blackheads are not dirt and you can’t just wash them away. Blackheads are caused when your skin produces too much sebum. Dead skin cells get in the path for the sebum to exit through the pore. This blocks the pore, creating a clog. When the clog nears the surface and oxides, it turns black. Don’t try to scrub blackheads away with a regular facial scrub. Instead, find products that contain salicylic acid that exfoliates inside the pore to dissolve away the dead skin cells and oil.
6. Expensive skin care products work best
Experts say that this is not true. According to them, 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. They say that if you want to pay for the feel, smell, and package, “that’s up to you.”
Image credit: www.boomerslife.org, articles.mercola.com
7. Lasers can make you look 20 years younger
There are many different types of lasers being marketed, and they all do different things. Some help with sun spots, some help with wrinkles. Some go deep and activate collagen. It’s all marketed so much that people think it can make you a completely different person. An expert believes that while lasers are much better than they were a few years ago and produce better results with fewer side effects, patients still need to be realistic about what they can actually do. According to her, if you’ve done intensive damage to your skin, there’s only so much we can do.
So what’s the bottom line when it comes to skin care tips and anti-aging strategies? Stay out of the sun, say the experts — use a good sunscreen every day, throughout the day, and say good-bye to skin damage!
Photo above: www.eatwot.org
