If you have been looking after your skin for long periods, it is easy to fall into certain myths about looking after it and which methods actually work and don’t work.
Some of the many myths flying around include thinking that a higher SPF suncream means you can stay in the sun for longer, or that all the damage that could happen to the skin has already occurred by your 18th birthday.
Sound familiar? In this post, I will completely bust open some of the myths surrounding skincare. Hopefully, you gain some vital insight into correcting bad habits or maybe even be able to add something new to your routine.
Myth 1: Having oily skin speeds up the aging process
This first one does have some truth to it, in the sense that oily skin is more likely to capture and trap pollutants and clog up pores. However, one thing that oily skin can do is to reduce any age or stress-related wrinkles!
How can it do this?
There are several reasons for this, but the main reason is that oils keep the top layer of skin soft and supple. A secondary purpose is that it creates a natural barrier better able to stop UV damage from the sun.
Myth 2: Botox Prevents Wrinkles
There is a lingering myth that says that Botox can stop wrinkles from occurring. This is only really true if you begin from an early age and keep it up consistently.
However, for most people, Botox actually reverses any existing wrinkles that you have and want to get rid of. If you protect your skin well, then inevitable wrinkles like frown lines and crows feet can be staved off.
However, some types of wrinkles are more severe and cannot be stopped from occurring. If you were considering starting this procedure, you should know that according to backto30.com, 99% of their patients receive no adverse side effects and can even be administered during lunch hours.
Myth 3: Once you reach 18, all damage that could be done, has been done
I am not even sure how this myth came about, but there is not one shred of truth to it!
Your skin is exposed to the elements daily, and we are in a constant battle to slow down the inevitable. With that said, the better you treat your skin, the slower the outside environment’s effects will be.
If you are looking after your skin via a proper diet, exercise, and high-quality products, then unless your genes just make you age fast, you will be able to look youthful longer. Make sure you focus on cleansing, protecting and moisturizing your skin regularly.
However, be aware that unless you live in a bubble, the effects of life will keep degrading your skin no matter how you are!
Myth 4: Facial exercises will keep your skin healthy and tight
Now I am not knocking facial exercises as they are a valuable method to relieve stress and keep your facial muscles in good order, but be aware that they have no bearing on how your skin looks and feels.
The main things that affect how smooth and tight your skin feels are fat content, collagen, and elastin. These things cannot be improved with facial exercise and can only really be improved with exercise, diet, and possible cosmetic procedures.
Myth 5: You can get rid of cellulite
Unfortunately, there is no permanent way to get rid of cellulite and keep it gone for good. While you can certainly use some shelf products, such as massagers and some creams that can reduce the appearance of it, the results are not permanent and lackluster at best.
The one possibility of permanently shedding cellulite is from a procedure that uses lasers that penetrates the top layer of skin to smooth out the dimpling effect. Unfortunately, it is not commonplace and is out of the reach of most people.
Myth 6: By applying a higher SPF sunscreen, you can stay in the sun for longer.
This is a widespread misconception that a lot of us have, and that is totally false.
SPF is not an indication of how long it will protect yours from the sun but rather an indication of how well it will block out harmful UV rays.
It should be reapplied a least every 2 hours to get the correct effect, and if you have been swimming, you need to make sure to reapply it as quickly as possible afterwards.
Hopefully, I have cracked open these myths surrounding skincare and can use this list to help you improve your skincare routine.
