There are no shortage of skin care myths out there, and if you don’t believe us simply Google “skin care tips.” You’ll quickly see lots of advice about how to care for your skin, with much of it centered around anti-aging or treating issues like acne. If you read a bit you’ll also see that these tips range from common sense to a bit out there, with plenty of conflicting ideas in between.
So exactly how do you know what’s right and wrong when it comes to skin care? It’s tricky, especially with so many skin care myths being touted as fact. Let’s clear the air a bit and talk about skin care myths.
Drinking water equals skin hydration
Drinking water is important, and many people are chronically dehydrated. When it comes to skincare, however, drinking water doesn’t directly or immediately hydrate the skin. While being severely hydrated does impact your skin, this type of advice is given to anyone that says their skin is dry. For many people dry indoor air, low humidity, winter wind, sun exposure, harsh soaps and hormones are more directly related to dry skin than anything else.
To banish dry skin, try using a high-quality moisturizer right after you shower, opt for warm but not scalding showers and limit your shower time to no longer than ten minutes. If you are extra dry, consider a cream or butter-style moisturizer with any of the following ingredients:
- Dimethicone
- Glycerin
- Hyaluronic acid
- Jojoba oil
- Lactic acid
- Lanolin
For more dry skin treatment tips, check out these suggestions from the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).
Products can shrink your pores
Most people would be a bit happier if their pores were smaller and less noticeable. You can see how popular this idea is with a quick trip down any skin care aisle in a store thanks to claims about “vanishing” and “shrinking” pores. In reality though, your pore size comes down to genetics which means that nothing can really change their size. Of course, pores can look enlarged if they are clogged, which is something you can tackle!
So while you can’t “shrink pores” you can take steps to minimize their appearance. This is because pores can seem enlarged and far more noticeable if products like makeup, primer and moisturizer are clogging them. Oil and excess skin cells can also build up and make pores more prominent.
Luckily, there are steps you can take to help clear out pores so they don’t appear enlarged:
- Find and stick to products that do not clog your pores. This may take trial and error since everybody’s skin is different.
- Always wash your face and remove makeup at the end of the day. The quickest way to get clogged, enlarged pores is to have dirty skin.
- Consider treatments like Diamond Glow or facials and peels to help remove all dirt and debris. This gives you a fresh starting point that you can maintain with regular at home skin care.
Eye creams can get rid of eye bags and circles
We know there are people that swear by their favorite eye cream, and we understand the loyalty. In reality though, eye creams aren’t going to get rid of under eye bags and dark circles. That doesn’t mean eye creams are useless! A good eye cream can add moisture back to the sensitive skin around the eyes. Ingredients like caffeine can help with inflammation and hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and retinol are also beneficial in helping with fine lines and skin texture. But if you’re hoping to get rid of heavy bags or dark circles, you’ll be disappointed.
There are several causes of eye bags, but cold compresses and sleeping with your head slightly elevated to reduce swelling may help. You may want to talk with your healthcare provider though, as there could be an underlying reason like chronic stress, fatigue, illness or medications. As for dark circles, getting good, quality sleep may do the trick!
The phrase “Dermatologist Tested” is an official certification
Would you be surprised to learn that the phrase “Dermatologist Tested” is not an official certification? When consumers see this type of phrase they usually think it has some type of official requirements behind it, which is logical. After all, there are strict rules in place about calling products FDA approved, right? Unfortunately, there is no standard in place for this or similar phrases such as “Dermatologist recommended.” These phrases are really just marketing tactics that don’t correlate to quality or testing.
Of course, minimally the phrase “dermatologist tested” should mean that at least one dermatologist endorses the product. It doesn’t mean that the product has undergone some intensive testing by dermatologists or that it is useful for all patients or specific conditions. When you realize this, the phrase suddenly seems a lot less impressive!
There are many skin care myths out there and we’ll revisit the subject from time to time until we debunk them all. In the meantime, if you have questions about your favorite skin care tips and wonder if they are real or myth, we’d love to hear about it!