Skin-Care Advice from Top Dermatologists

Skin-care advice like “wash oily skin frequently to stop the shine” or “a base tan protects against sunburn” may be well-meaning. But some tips can be downright deadly. Read on for the top 12 skin-care myths and what our dermatologists say is the real truth behind them... “Try toothpaste on that zit,” your friend says. “It’ll dry it up in a flash.” If you believe that, you’re putting your skin at risk. That’s because ingredients that are good for your teeth are bad for your skin. Skin myths passed along by your BFFs “can be harmful – even fatal, like misconceptions about the sun," warns Francesca Fusco, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. “They can also keep you from looking your best,” she says. Separating skin facts from fiction isn’t easy. And sorting through the dizzying array of information from books, magazines, ads and Web sites is enough to give you frown lines! What’s a woman to do? We talked to top dermatologists about the 12 most common skin-care myths – and the facts behind them: Myth #1: Always use makeup remover and facial cleanser. You need both makeup remover and facial cleanser only if you wear waterproof makeup. The average cleanser can’t break down the waxy ingredients in waterproof products – the makeup remover really helps. If your cosmetics aren’t waterproof, you can nix makeup remover. Use only facial cleanser and save room on your bathroom shelf. But beware: Don’t use facial cleanser to wash off eye makeup if the cleanser has exfoliating particles or active acne- or wrinkle-fighting ingredients (such as glycolic acid or retinol). “These may irritate your eyes and the fragile skin around them,” Fusco explains. Myth #2: Everyone needs toner. Only women with very oily skin may want to add toner to their skin-care routine, says Ranella Hirsch, M.D., a Boston-based dermatologist. “A toner can reduce some oil, but you can get even better results from a mattifying cleanser" – which absorbs oil and reduces shine – "or mineral makeup, which also sops up oil,” Hirsch says. If you have a normal or dry complexion, skip toner and use a cleanser made for your skin type. You may think toner’s doing something because astringent ingredients, like alcohol and witch hazel, make skin feel tight, says Fusco. “But it actually has no benefit if you wash your face and rinse skin thoroughly,” she says. Besides, toners with alcohol strip the skin’s natural oils, leaving it dry and irritated. Myth #3: You can’t use moisturizer if you have acne-prone or oily skin. "Most moisturizers today are non-comedogenic,” says Fusco – meaning they don’t clog pores and cause acne. “So unless you’re plastering Vaseline all over your face several times a day, moisturizer won’t make you break out,” she says. In fact, moisturizer can decrease breakouts, since dry skin flakes clog pores and trigger acne. "Oily-skinned women may also want to use a moisturizer with anti-aging ingredients or sun protection – or to moisturize parts of the face that aren’t oily,” Fusco says. Just look for an oil-free product. Myth #4: Pricey skin-care products are best. Many inexpensive drugstore brands are similar to high-quality products, and manufacturers do scientific research and test them on thousands of women, says Hirsch. Plus, effective active ingredients such as wrinkle-fighting retinol peptides (small proteins that stimulate the collagen production) or antioxidant vitamin C are easy to find in inexpensive skin-care lines. Myth #5: Acne is the result of dirty, oily skin. Washing your face too often can make acne worse. That’s because you can irritate skin and create new problems, such as small cysts, says West Palm Beach-based dermatologist Kenneth Beer, M.D., assistant professor at the University of Miami and director of The Cosmetic Bootcamp, a dermatology training program for physicians. A lot of acne-prone women also over-cleanse their skin, thinking it will sop up excess oil. It doesn’t. In fact, it dries skin and sends oil-producing sebaceous glands into overdrive. That makes your complexion even greasier, Beer says. “Acne means your skin is inhabited by bacteria, oil or clogged pores, so you need to use a pad or facial cleanser that contains salicylic acid, an ingredient that exfoliates skin and cleans out pores,” Beer says. Do this twice a day, morning and night as part of your skin care routine, and skin will clear up in no time. Myth #6: Popping pimples will make them disappear. When a big whitehead is staring back at you in the mirror, it’s tempting to start popping. Don’t. “Squeezing pimples leads to infections – because you push bacteria into the skin – and scarring,” Beer says. Plus, the resulting red, bleeding blemish usually looks worse than the original pimple anyway. Instead, apply a warm compress to the whitehead for five minutes 2-3 times per day. This will soften the skin so it pops on its own. “Then apply something drying, like an acne product with colloidal sulfur or salicylic acid,” Beer says. At night, wash the blemish with a facial cleanser containing 2% salicylic acid, leaving it on the spot like a mask for 2-4 minutes rather than the normal 10-20 seconds, says Hirsch. Or use a spot-treatment with salicylic acid. Your zit will be gone in a few days and it won’t leave a throbbing red mark or scar. Myth #7: Toothpaste will dry out a pimple. “Toothpaste irritates, burns, causes more breakouts and scars skin,” Fusco says. That’s especially true of today’s toothpastes, “which have a lot of whitening and bleaching ingredients that are extremely irritating,” she says. So save it for your teeth and use a facial cleanser for acne to keep skin clear. Myth #8: Cocoa butter prevents stretch marks. Many women swear cocoa butter on pregnant bellies keeps stretch marks at bay, but it’s probably their DNA that stops the white, raised skin scars from forming, says Fusco. “Though cocoa butter moisturizes, it can't prevent stretch marks,” Fusco says. Stretch marks usually crop up when the skin’s elastic fibers are forced to expand because of the growing uterus. They can also appear after growth spurts or extreme weight gain or loss. Many products may claim to make stretch marks vanish, but so far no cream has been proven to do the trick, Fusco says. Myth #9: Sweets and fried foods cause breakouts. These foods may pack pounds on your belly, thighs and hips, but they won’t hurt your complexion. “There’s no evidence that diet influences acne production,” Beer says. “Pimples are caused by bacteria and abnormal cell division within pores.” Myth #10: Getting a base tan is a healthy way to get that sun-kissed glow. There’s no such thing as a “healthy” tan: Any time the sun’s rays touch your skin, they increase the chances of sunburn, skin cancer and signs of aging, such as wrinkles, sagging and brown spots. “Even when you have that base tan, it’s only equivalent to an SPF of 3,” says Jeannine Downie, M.D., director of Image Dermatology in Montclair, N.J., and co-author of Beautiful Skin of Color (William Morrow). “You’d get much more protection without additional risk simply by wearing sunblock.” Myth #11: Women of color don’t get sunburn or skin cancer. This myth can be deadly. “While people of color are less likely to get skin cancer, they’re much more likely to die from it, due to a delay in detection,” says Perry Robins, M.D., president of the Skin Cancer Foundation. In fact, that’s what happened to reggae legend Bob Marley, who died from melanoma at age 36. According to the latest available statistics (from 2005), the overall survival rate for African Americans with melanoma is only 77% compared to 91% in Caucasians. By the time Hispanics are treated for melanoma, their cancer is more advanced and the prognosis is worse than a prognosis for Caucasians with the same disease, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. The bottom line? No matter what your ethnic background: Wear sunscreen of at least SPF 15 daily Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (when it’s strongest) Cover up with clothing, a hat and sunglasses as part of your skin care routine Examine your skin each month See a dermatologist for an annual skin exam Myth #12: Self-tanners offer protection from the sun. Another deadly myth, says Hirsch. Though self-tanning products from a can or bottle are the safest way to get that golden glow, they don’t provide any protection from the sun, since they’re… well… fake. Exceptions are self-tanners with sunscreen. Even their protection, however, lasts only for the few hours after you apply them, even if your faux glow sticks longer, Hirsch says. Instead, apply sunscreen on dry skin after you’ve slathered on the self-tanner. For more information, visit our Skin Health Center. Are You Skin-Care Savvy? The skin is a living, breathing organ, and what you don't know about taking care of it could keep your complexion from looking fantastic. If your skin-care knowledge could barely fill a pillbox, you need a refresher course. Do you know how to put your best face forward?