10 Common Skincare Myths Debunked!

With all the various media outlets on the internet, a lot of information can be found – some of which is true and not true. Here are some common myths flying around the web today and their explained reasoning.

1. Acne is caused by eating greasy and unhealthy food. MYTH. Acne is not caused by one thing alone. Acne is caused by a combination of hormones, genetics, medications, cosmetics, stress and other factors. Acne most commonly occurs when the pores get plugged with oil and dead skin cells. To reduce acne, it’s important to practice a proper and balanced hygiene routine.
2. You don’t need to apply sunscreen on a cloudy day. MYTH. The sun emits 3 main types of ultraviolet (UV) rays known as UVA, UVB and UVC rays. UVA rays penetrate deeply into the skin and are responsible for the darkened skin pigmentation. UVB rays are the primary sunburn and can cause damage to skin DNA, photo-aging, pigmentation changes and cancer. UVC rays are absorbed by the atmosphere and therefore do not make it to the ground. Even on a cloudy day, UV rays penetrate the earth so it’s important to wear sunscreen everyday even when the sun is hidden.
3. Moisturizing the skin is not that important. MYTH. It is imperative to keep the skin hydrated and moisturized. Applying lotions and oils to the skin everyday replenishes the natural oils and fatty acids back into the skin. Scratching and sun exposure can cause drying of the skin so rehydration is very important.
4. “Age spots” are simply a fact of getting older. MYTH. Age spots can be identified as uneven skin tone and brown spots that come from years of environmental exposure. Age spots are caused by overactive pigment cells and when UV light accelerates the production of melanin in high concentrations.
5. Cleansing your face more than three times a day gets rid of acne. MYTH. Contrary to popular belief, over cleansing your face can be worse for your skin. Facial cleansers filled with harsh surfactants are made to dry out your skin and strip your skin of its natural oils. Cleansing with an oil based cleanser can lead to healthier and glowing skin.
6. Your skin gets used to products after a while. MYTH. The skin can acclimate to active ingredients of vitamin A derivatives such as retinols. On the other hand, skincare products consisting of ingredients such as antioxidants, moisturizers and peptide products do not become adapted to by the skin and should be used regularly for healthy and happy skin.
7. Skin products with collagen can replace and rebuild your normal collagen. MYTH. Collagen is a sizeable molecule and does not combine itself with the skin in places of need. The body has to make new collagen by itself from basic proteins. Nutrients and vitamins such as A and C help the body build and maintain collagen.
8. Acquiring a base suntan first prevents sunburns later on. MYTH. Tanning from the sun in any form causes irreversible damage to the skin. A base tan does not inhibit the ability to get a sunburn later on. A base tan does nothing to prevent sunburn, instead only leads to more severe sun damage.
9. Skin pores open and close. MYTH. In fact, our pores do not have muscles or the ability to open and close. Pores are consistently open to allow sweat. Pores that look clogged are filled with oils and dead skin cells. Hot water is known to help soften the oils in the pore as well as organize the pores.
10. Antioxidants are not that important in skin care routine. MYTH. Antioxidants are shown to counteract skin’s age damage caused by free radicals with your skin encounters every day. Damage from stress, food toxins air smoke and microwaves are also a few common skin damagers. Antioxidants help quench free radical damage and boost the skin’s resilience to stress and environmental factors. They are very important in daily cleansing and exfoliating routines.