10 Urban Skincare Myths Debunked ...

When you think of urban skincare myths I bet you didn’t expect to see such a harmless food item show up on this list. If you drink milk as part of your everyday routine regardless of if it’s regular or organic, you can be taking in hormones which can cause acne. Dairy products are considered to have inflammatory properties which mean it can accelerate aging and worsen existing acne issues.

It’s a skin care sin to think that all sunscreens are alike and as long as it has SPF, you’re good. You’re probably aware of the two types of rays we should be aware of, which are UVA and UVB rays. The most important aspect to consider when picking a sunscreen to protect your precious flesh is that it defends you from both types. Look for broad spectrum protection and not just any old sunscreen or one with high SPF.

This urban skincare myth was debunked by Dr. Leslie Baumann, who is the director of the University of Miami Cosmetic Group. She criticizes facials and microdermabrasion treatments for being more costly than effective in long-term skin health. Apparently they’re great for short term results and they’re relaxing,but you’re better off spending your dough on quality skincare products and being consistent in your routine.

This myth in skincare is actually party true, drinking plenty of water is great for the skin. There is a catch though, for healthy skin you actually need to eat foods packed with water also! Drinking water is awesome but it passes through your body pretty quickly so eating “watery” foods is important too! Lettuce, watermelon, zucchini, apples and broccoli are all high in water content so eat up on fruits and veggies!

This urban skincare myth started long, long ago when someone’s mother told their daughter to scrub their face ‘til it’s squeaky clean. Ever since that fateful day, little girls everywhere have been scrubbing their poor little faces raw. The truth of the matter is, if your face feels tight or itchy you've gone too far! Be gentle, it’s pointless to wash your face squeaky clean if you need to apply gobs of moisturizer to make up for all the moisture that’s been stripped from your skin!

Walk through any skin care counter and you’ll find oodles of products claiming to shrink, shrivel and magically make them disappear but it’s really just an urban skincare myth! New York dermatologist Debra Jaliman states that the size of your pores are genetically predetermined so we really can’t shrink them or make them vanish. What we can do is minimize their appearance by exfoliating and avoiding heavy products.

Tanning from a bed or the sun are both skin care sins but assuming that a tanning bed is the safer of the two is definitely one of the worst myths in skincare! Tanning beds expose you to more concentrated doses of UVA rays which are the cancer-causing and aging accelerating ray. Limit the time you’re exposed to the sun and completely discontinue using tanning beds!

Dr. Francesca Fusco discredited the common myth in skincare that says you can prevent stretch marks with cocoa butter. She says that although lots of ladies attribute their stretch mark-free post-baby bodies to this cream, good genes had more to do with it than the lotion. Cocoa butter as well as other lotions will moisturize your skin but it can’t do much in preventing scarring from stretched-out skin.

This is one of the more understandable and common myths in skincare. Many people are under the assumption that as long as they aren’t outdoors, their skin is safe from UV rays. Truth is, you can expose yourself to UV rays pretty much everywhere! Fluorescent lights emit these nasty rays and glass can only do so much so get in the habit of slathering on protection regularly!

This is a long-standing myth in skincare and I hope it comes to end! Just because a skincare product is pricey and comes in nice packaging doesn’t guarantee that it’ll make all your skincare wishes come true! Most higher-priced and high-end brands use quality ingredients so many assume they’re better but it’s all up to your skin. Don’t let a brand name or price tag determine whether it’ll work, try samples first before committing. Your skin might prefer Neutrogena to La Mer!

Whew, we went through a lot of urban skincare myths on this post! I hope you learned something new about skincare and some of the common skincare sins and myths have been cleared up. It’s unfortunate that these crazy skincare rumors get started but we just have to be that much more careful with how we treat our skin! What are some of the skincare myths you’ve heard?

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