With a lot of misleading information, it can become increasingly difficult to navigate between fact and fiction. When it comes to our health care, the consequences of relying on misinformation can have both far-reaching and potentially harmful effects on our bodies. Or it could just be a time and money waster. Skin care is no exception. Read on for our roundup of some prevalent skincare myths.
Acne is caused by junk food While the saying that "you are what you eat" is certainly true, it's actually an oversimplification when it comes to acne. Acne is mainly about genetics, and is usually caused by overactive sebaceous glands, sweating, dead skin cells and dirt. These factors clog your pores and the area around your hair follicles and usually lead to inflammation and swelling. There is very little evidence that acne is caused by what we eat. Those bags of chips will certainly cause health problems, but it won't be acne you need to worry about.
SPF 45 sun protection is a huge upgrade to SPF 30
The prevailing myth is that the SPF number refers to the degree of strength in relation to other SPF numbers. So SPF 30 would be twice as strong as SPF 15, while SPF 45 would be three times stronger. However, this is not how the SPF rating works. In terms of strength, SPF 15 gives about 93% protection, while SPF 30 is 97% and SPF 45 is 98%. It's up to you to work out the cost-benefit analysis whether the jump from 30 to 45 is worth it, but try to find products with the broad spectrum label.
“Natural” products are better for your skin
This is a big one, and it's not just for skin care products. There is a general belief in society that natural is good, and chemically bad. It is true that natural products like aloe vera are good for your skin and parabens are bad. However, that doesn't mean that everything is technically a chemical. Zinc oxide, salicylic acid and retinol are all chemicals that have beneficial effects on your skin, while naturally occurring ingredients that can be healthy, such as lemon juice, can damage your skin. Don't be fooled by the natural or chemical labels.
Frequent exfoliation results in healthier skin There is much disagreement about this. A little is good, but stop and think about what you are doing for a moment. You use an abrasive substance to scrape off the top layers of your skin. Doing this too often can irritate your skin, increasing the production of sebum (the oil in your skin). This can lead to acne, greasier hair and possibly scarring.
You don't need sunscreen when you are in the shade While direct sunlight is certainly worse for your skin than shade or indoors, the truth is that UV radiation is not just limited to the direct rays. UV rays can reach your skin even on a cloudy day. Wear sunscreen daily and try to apply at least SPF 30 to your skin in sunny weather to prevent damage.
