It is possible that dermatology is the medical specialty about which more hoaxes and false myths circulate, especially with regard to skincare. We are going to comment on some of the best known.
In particular, everything that has to do with skin and hair cosmetics is a very ripe ground for speculative and unscientific opinions. We detail a series of myths that exist about skincare .
Table of Contents
1. Acne From Eating Chocolate And Sausages
The possible relationship of acne to diet has been the subject of study for decades. Today we know for sure that acne is a normal process in adolescence. It has to do with a time in life when hormones and growth cause excess oil in the skin, and clogged pores.
Some cases of acne with more inflammation may need treatment because of their unsightly nature and because they can cause scarring. We know that the main cause of these acnes is genetic, and it has to do with a way of being of the hormonal system and the skin in people with a family history.
Other factors that can influence the development of severe acne are external enhancers such as stress and some elements of the diet, although they surely have a little relevant or controversial role. Above all, we refer to foods with a high glycemic index such as milk or sweets (pastries, cookies, sugary chocolate, etc).
That is, they are not fatty foods, but those that have a high content of rapidly absorbed sugars, which have the ability to increase insulin production. As these foods should be taken in moderation and should not be the basis of a healthy diet, avoiding them in children and adolescents is the rule to follow.
2. Washing Your Hair a Lot Makes It Fall More
Hair is shed every day that is replaced by a new one, so seeing hair in the shower is the most normal thing to do. Some people believe that washing hair excessively can cause it to fall more, and it is a misconception. The truth is that with each daily wash we make it easier for the hair that has to fall to do so, and we become aware of its fall. Another myth is that wet hair “rots” and becomes weak, but it is another misconception. In fact, aggressive drying of the hair with dryers at high temperatures can denature and break it. Like everything in life, the best is the middle ground. A hair washed everyday or every other day is the right thing to do for most people.
3. Gluten Intolerance Always Causes Skin Problems
Gluten intolerance is sometimes attributed to problems that are not necessarily proven. The only skin disease associated with celiac disease or gluten intolerance is a rare blistering disease called dermatitis herpetiformis, which causes itching and blisters.
For the rest, the only external sign of a person with celiac disease may be a consequence of possible malnutrition in extreme cases in which the patient is not feeding properly. In this situation, which is very rare to see, the skin may become dry and the hair and nails may be weaker and more brittle.
4. The Best Wrinkle Cream Is The Most Expensive
In reality, the skincare and anti-aging cream industry live off unscientific myths and hoaxes, tapping into a market eager to buy miracle products that promise what they can’t deliver. A good “anti-aging” cream should provide hydration to the skin and sun protection, but probably the rest of the molecules it contains, including vitamin or antioxidants, have no scientific basis. A healthy lifestyle, avoiding tobacco (it is a well-established cause of skin aging and wrinkles), and promoting the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables are most beneficial for skincare . It is not necessary to spend the money on “miracle” creams.
5. Nourish Skin And Hair With Vitamin Creams And Shampoos
One of the misconceptions about beauty products is that they have to “nourish” the skin and hair with vitamins and minerals of all kinds. It is evident that applying vitamins to the skin does nothing, since they are not absorbed or used. Skin and hair are generated “from within”, and a healthy appearance is not achieved by providing them “from the outside.”
6. Parabens And Preservatives In Beauty Products Can Cause Cancer
All dermo-cosmetic products must contain preservatives because otherwise, it would be impossible to package and market them. That said, there are preservatives with more or fewer advantages and disadvantages, and very exhaustive sanitary controls are always followed to ensure that they are safe for health.
Parabens do have the ability to cause allergy problems and are possibly harmful at very high doses, but not at the doses in which they are used as preservatives. The myths that have linked them to breast cancer are false, and this has been confirmed by health agencies.
7. Protecting yourself from the sun can cause vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis
It is public knowledge that calcium in bones needs vitamin D to be fixed and to ensure proper mineralization. Vitamin D is produced in the skin under the action of sunlight, and it has been speculated that protecting the skin from the sun to prevent skin cancer could cause very low levels of vitamin D.
In reality, the matter is much more complex, since in western countries vitamin D is always at very low levels during the not sunny months of the year, since our life has stopped developing abroad and we tend to live and work in closed environments with artificial light that does not contribute to the production of vitamin D.
On the other hand, exposure of just 15 minutes to the street light on the face and hands is enough to produce all the necessary vitamin D. There are even studies that have shown that, by applying sunscreen, enough vitamin is manufactured.
Therefore, it seems reasonable to seek outside light in moderation in winter or to take vitamin D supplements if the doctor recommends it, and to protect the skin from the sun in summer without having to worry about osteoporosis.
What you should know…
- Believing that washing your hair excessively can cause it to fall further is a misconception. With each wash, we facilitate the hair that has to fall, and we see their fall.
- The main cause of the most aggressive acne is genetic, and it has to do with a way of being of the hormonal system and the skin in people with a family history, not the diet.
- Applying vitamin products to the skin does not achieve anything, since they are not absorbed or used. Skin and hair are generated “from within”, and their healthy appearance is not achieved by providing these nutrients “from outside”.
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