It’s back to school time, almost fall and a perfect time to revisit your skin care routine. There is so much information out there today on skin care it’s hard to know what’s good vs. bad and what works for your particular skin. However, there is some advice that is universally wrong. Here are three important skin care myths I often see.
Using Makeup as Sunscreen
Makeup in sunscreen is not enough. According to dermatologist Kally Papantoniou, MD FAAD:
“It is highly unlikely that the amount of make-up women apply will be effective as a sunscreen, and they usually miss many areas where make-up is not even applied…if the product has an SPF value, this is just an added benefit, but it should not be used as a substitute for sunscreen."
Yes you should use a sunscreen and it should be worn year-round. Also there are parts of the body besides the face that are exposed to the sun regularly – think your neck, décolletage and hands to name a few. These all need protection too.
The sun causes 90% of skin aging according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. So help your skin be giving it proper sun protection.
Over-washing Your Face
It’s important to keep your skin clean but there’s a balance between washing your face regularly and overdoing it. According to cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss:
"It may seem intuitive to want to dry out your skin if you are prone to break outs and oily skin, but the reality is, if you strip away all the oils, your skin overcompensates by producing more oil and worsening your baseline."
I agree with Dr. Idriss and only wash my face once a day. Otherwise it tends to get to dry.
The same goes with exfoliating your skin too much – scrubbing too hard or exfoliating daily can be tough on it. According to Dr. Ava Shamban:
"I frequently see people with red raw skin because they have scraped so hard that they have interfered with the barrier function of the skin…Then their normal skin care regimen becomes irritating.”
Popping Pimples
I’m totally guilty of this one! But it’s bad for your skin and can lead to inflammation or scarring. According to Dr. Idriss:
"We're all guilty of that pesky tendency to want to have our skin feel smooth by popping those pimples away, but we are causing ourselves more harm than good by inciting trauma to our faces.”
The best thing to do when you see a pimple is to let it be.
More Skin Care Tips
Want even more tips for your skin – we’ll we’ve got them, check out our Skin Care, Education or Suncare Smarts blog series.
