Skin Care Myths – What Is The Truth Behind Them?

Skin care has always been a serious concern with women. And because of their increased concern about skin care, myths and misconceptions don't take long to spread. And often these myths are so deep rooted, that they are believed to be true and handed down from generation to generation.

Most of the time women tend to follow these misconceptions so religiously that they end up doing more harm to their skin than good. Here are some of the popular skin care myths that can potentially wreck havoc on your skin.

Myth 1 – Sunscreen should not be applied very often!

Since sunscreen lotions and creams are generally richer formulations, people tend to believe that over-applying sunscreens would make their skin greasy and oily. Moreover, they also think that excessive chemicals contained in the sunscreen would be bad for the skin. This is not true however.

Sunscreens should be applied as often as possible – three to four times minimum through the day. This is because even though you slather on ample amounts of sunscreen before venturing out, it wouldn't guarantee continued protection against the ultraviolet rays unless it stays on. In order to ensure continued protection against sun damage, it is important to make sure that the sunscreen stays on your skin. This is why it is important to apply it as often as possible especially if you have been swimming, exercising or generally sweating a lot. As far as greasiness is concerned, you can always opt for lightweight oil free sunscreens like La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid or iS Clinical SPF 20 Powder Sunscreen. You can also use two-in-one products like moisturizers with sunscreens. A great example of this is La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX.

Myth 2 – Applying baby powder is the best solution for heat rashes!

Don't confuse prevention with cure. Baby products can sure prevent heat rashes from appearing but it cannot cure the existent rashes. In fact, it can worsen the situation by blocking the skin pores.

In case you develop heat rashes, the ideal solution is to hydrate the area and keep the skin moisturized. Use a rich moisturizing cream or lotion and apply it diligently over the concerned area. You can try using Nia 24 Sun Damage Prevention SPF 30 It not only moisturizes the skin but also protects it from sun damage.

Myth 3 – Wash your face as often as you can to keep it clean!

Many people believe that the more they wash their faces, cleaner they'll keep the skin. It is important to keep you skin pores clean and remove all the accumulated toxins within them by cleansing your face. However, over-washing your face would strip off the natural moisture cells of your skin and make it dry and flaky. Therefore, restrict washing your face to ideally two to three times a day – once in the morning, once at night and once in the afternoon (for people with oily skin).

Myth 4 – Picking a pimple the “right” way wouldn't cause blemishes!

There is no “right” way of picking at pimples. There are just many women who advocate that is you use a hot towel and hold your fingers at a certain inclined angle to flush out the pus, you wouldn't develop blemishes. This unfortunately is not true. No matter how well you do it, what happens when you pick a pimple is some portion of the inherent bacteria containing pus gets pushed inside the skin surface and causes infestation. This further develops into more serious acne and blemishes.

Myth 5 – Toners can be done away with!

People have always been skeptical about the use of toners. Especially people with dry skin avoid using toners because of the risk of excessive skin dryness. What they don't realize is that toners are very important in a skin care regimen. They eradicate all the left over impurities and stubborn dirt particles from the skin pores and adjust the pH balance of the skin. People with dry skin should try using alcohol-free toners like Obagi Nu Derm Toner that would be gentle on their skin and provide them all inherent benefits.

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Dr. Marilyn Syrett is a board certified physician and nurtures a keen interest in the study and use of skin care products especially anti-aging cosmetics and acne skin care systems. She has completed her residency in anesthesiology at UC Irvine Medical Center.

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