Having been serving the Charleston area for nearly a decade, we’ve heard just about every skincare myth in the book. We wanted to take some time to set the record straight and address some of the most common skincare misconceptions. Here are ten of the most common skincare myths:
“Vitamin E will make scars fade.”
While Vitamin E has various beneficial antioxidant properties, there is very little scientific evidence that supports the claim that vitamin E actually helps diminish the appearance of scars. If you have scars that you’d like to have removed, we have several laser treatments available that can effectively fade scars.
“Eye creams don’t do anything.”
When it comes to your skincare routine, don’t sleep on (or without) an eye cream. These specially formulated ingredients can improve the tone and texture of your delicate under-eye skin. While your skin deserves the highest quality of care, the area around the eyes requires a little extra TLC. If you’re experiencing dark circles, puffiness, or fine lines, check out this eye cream by ZO Skin Health.
“There’s no need for sunscreen in the fall or winter.”
It doesn’t matter if it’s cloudy, raining, or snowing– if it’s daytime, you should be wearing SPF. Ultraviolet rays can penetrate through clouds and are present in every season. UV rays cause fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation, so to protect your skin, make sure sun protection is part of your daily routine.
“Exfoliating devices should be used every day.”
Exfoliating is a great way to slough off dead skin and promote cell turnover, but there is a limit to how often you should incorporate an exfoliating agent in your routine. While some gentle exfoliators can be used daily, “less is more” is a general rule of thumb when it comes to exfoliators. This is especially true for spinning brush cleansing tools.
“Your skin will get used to the products you use, and then they’ll stop working.”
Some believe that your skin products are the most effective when you first start using, but it generally takes up to three months of regular results to truly see a new product’s effects. If you feel like the results of your skin have plateaued, it’s because the product is only capable of doing so much.
“The order in which you use your skincare products doesn’t matter.”
In-depth skincare routines can be overwhelming at first, but if you’re committing to the products, it’s best to pay attention to the proper order of use as well. In order to get the best results from your skincare regimen, you should layer your products from thinnest to thickest.
“Pores can get smaller.”
If you feel that you have large pores, it’s most likely because they’re clogged, making them appear larger. Products that claim to minimize are really clarifying the pores and bringing them back to their normal size. There is no way to actually shrink pore size.
“You don’t need to moisturize your face if it’s oily.”
Oil and moisture are entirely different. Moisture is water-based, while oily skin involves sebum content excreted from your facial glands. In most cases, the inverse of this myth is true: in order to reduce the production of excess oil, choose an oil-free moisturizer to prevent your oil-producing glands from going into overdrive.
“The more you wash your face, the better.”
If you overwash your face, you’re most likely stripping all of your natural oils, which causes oil production to increase to replace what it has lost. In other cases, overwashing throws off your skin’s natural balance, which can lead to irritation and sensitivity. To keep your skin cleansed and fresh, we recommend you wash your face once in the morning and once at night.
“Dark undereye circles are always due to a lack of sleep.”
While it’s always a good idea to strive for eight hours of sleep, it doesn’t mean it’ll eliminate dark circles completely. Dark undereye circles can be caused by genetics, diet, alcohol consumption, and more. Fortunately, if a regular sleep cycle isn’t cutting it for you, we have a wide variety of treatments available, from skincare to laser treatments.
“Serums are a waste of money.”
If you ask any skincare professional which product is worth the splurge, it’s highly likely that they would recommend a serum. Between the highly concentrated ingredients and skin penetrating formula, serums are likely to deliver the best results.
Schedule a Consultation
If you have any questions about skincare products, practices, or myths, reach out to us today! Our staff at O’Neill Plastic Surgery is committed, experienced, and works collaboratively to educate patients on the latest plastic surgery and cosmetic treatments. Request an appointment or call us at (843) 881-2130.
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