Demystifying Skin Care Myths
Myths abound about skin care, from recommendations on preventing stretch marks to the proper way to cleanse your face. These old wife’s tales have many experts shaking their heads in disbelief, but also have many believing them. Five common skin care myths are debunked here.
1.Tanning beds help prepare your skin for the summer sun. This is not only false, but dangerous. Even tanning booths that do not have UVB rays still generate concentrated UVA rays, which can lead to skin cancer and premature wrinkles and aging of the dermis. A base tan does not mean your body has produced more melanin, it just means the melanin you have has come closer to the surface. Getting a base tan does not protect you from further sun damage, and can be in and of itself quite harmful to your skin.
2. You can prevent stretch marks with olive oil. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can apply to your skin to prevent the appearance of stretch marks. A healthy diet, good hydration and regular exercise will improve the elasticity of your skin. Stretch marks occur when the sub-surface splits due to over-stretching, such as when you gain excessive weight or are pregnant.
3. Increasing the SPF means you can stay out in the sunshine much longer. This is truly an unsafe belief. A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 will block approximately 94% of UV rays. Increasing to an SPF of 40 will only block 97% of UV rays. Increasing the SPF does not significantly increase the protection. What’s more important is to ensure the sun block you purchase protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Another must is to apply the protection before you venture out in the sun and then reapply sun screen every couple of hours, regardless of whether you got wet or not.
4. You don’t need sunscreen if you have dark skin. A darker skin tone, whether a Mediterranean olive-toned complexion or the skin tone of a person of color, does not give the person extra protection from the sun. It only means that they have an increased level of melanin. Although this does decrease the risk of skin cancer from the harmful UVA and UVB rays of the sun, it is only a slight decrease, and people with darker skin tones must use sunscreen and take the same precautions as those with a fairer complexion.
5. You can get acne from eating chocolate. No one type of food will lead to acne, and while a healthy diet will promote a healthy skin, what you eat does not cause acne. Acne occurs when the dead cells that the skin sheds stick together and block the various gland openings in the skin. The natural oils in the skin then back up, and bacteria takes advantage of this situation, making matters even worse. So you can keep eating chocolate – in moderation of course!
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