10 Of The Most Popular Skin Care Myths Debunked!

You have heard them before. Will your skin really age just like your mom's skin? Will shaving make the hair grow back thicker? Are tanning booths without UVB rays safe? Fasten your seatbelts as we take you on a journey to debunk, once and for all, the most popular skin care myths of all time. 1. The higher the SPF, the better the protection: The SPF only refers to the level of protection offered against UVB rays and sunburns. It's more important to find a broad spectrum sunscreen than a sunscreen that just has a high SPF. Broad spectrum means that the sunscreen is protecting you from both UVA and UVB rays. You want a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15 that includes at least one of the following ingredients: mexoryl, oxybenzone, avobenzone, or titanium dioxide. 2. You don't need sunscreen on a cloudy day: Just because it's cloudy, does not mean that harmful UV radiation is being filtered out. Even on extremely cloudy days, that radiation is still able to penetrate through the clouds and reach the earth's surface. Sunscreen should always be used in addition to makeup. Sunscreen should be applied daily, and re-applied every two hours. 3. Tanning booths are safe as long as they don't contain UVB rays: Did you know that UVA rays actually penetrate deeper into the skin than UVB rays do? Many tanning companies are luring customers in under false claims that their tanning booths are "safe" because they do not contain the harmful UVB rays that many others do. However, what customers don't realize is that UVA rays are just as harmful as UVB rays and exposure to either can cause signs of aging and skin cancers. 4. To promote faster healing, you should pop your pimples as they appear: This is completely inaccurate. When you pop a pimple, the majority of the pus is spread underneath the skin's surface and can result in inflammation and scarring. That's why another one will always pop up close to the first one, and usually just a few days later! 5. The more you scrub your face, the less you will have to worry about painful acne and breakouts: When you over-cleanse your face, you are actually stripping the skin of critical, natural oils. This can actually irritate your skin more and lead to painful rashes and burns. Cleansing once or twice daily is more than adequate in maintaining beautiful, healthy, and radiant skin. Acne is usually not a hygiene problem, it's a result of a hormonal imbalance. 6. Your skin will age just like your mother's or grandmother's: Although it's true that genetics do have some influence in how your skin will age, the greatest influence comes from your lifestyle habits. Sun exposure, alcohol consumption, smoking, stress, and sleep habits all influence the way that your skin ages over time. 7. The Greatest Skin Damage You Will Sustain Occurs Before Age 18: This is incorrect. You don't all of a sudden become immune to harmful radiation once you turn 18. You continue to accumulate sun damage over your life and eventually it can cause sun spots and even lead to skin cancers. Sunscreen should be used daily, even after your 18th birthday. 8. Hyperpigmentation is just a result of aging, mature skin: Hyperpigmentation, or an unevenness of skin tones, is actually caused by excessive environmental exposure and can happen to anyone, at any age. To avoid these visible imperfections, invest in a good sunscreen and limit unnecessary exposure. 9. Shaving will make your hair grow back thicker: You have probably heard this one! Believe it or not, shaving actually has no influence on the length or thickness of the hair. Your hair will remain the same size as it always was. 10. Falling asleep with makeup on won't hurt me: You should never fall asleep with makeup on. Makeup is designed to create an illusion and be worn only for short periods of time. Makeup will leave a toxic layer of film on the skin's surface that can cause irritation, inflammation, and dehydration. Always take the time to wash your face at night!