10 harmful myths about skin
Miscellaneous / / November 04, 2023
Misconceptions about skin that can cost us money and health.
1. Expensive anti-wrinkle creams keep skin young
For skin aging responsible two types of processes:
- Domestic associated with genetics, cellular metabolism and hormonal changes. These include destruction collagen, the effect of gravity, the work of facial muscles, the reduction and redistribution of fat. Because of all this, wrinkles appear, the skin becomes flabby, sags, and the contour of the face and shape change.
- External based on environmental influences, e.g. sun rays, chemicals, adverse weather conditions, smoking. UV radiation is considered the most harmful to the skin. It damages DNA, and several forms of free oxygen are formed, which destroy collagen, a protein on the amount of which the firmness and elasticity of the skin depends.
The cosmetics industry offers an incredible selection of creams that are supposed to prevent aging. However, the effectiveness of these remedies is questionable, because the aging process is quite difficult to influence.
In one review, scientists notedthat's just vitamin C, alpha-hydroxy acids and pentapeptides have more or less reliable evidence of anti-aging properties.
Topical application of vitamin A also Maybe have some effectiveness, but we are talking about drugs that are prescribed by a doctor and may have side effects - burning, dryness and redness. Creams available to everyone from wrinkles contain much less active ingredients, so if there are results, they will not last long.
Moreover, simple physics hinders success. Not all cream ingredients pass through the epidermis - the upper layer of skin consisting of horny scales. Penetrate the dermis to affect the skin, can only substances with a molecular weight less than 500 Da.
Thus, the cream may only slightly improve the appearance, but will not stop the loss of collagen and subcutaneous fat, will not prevent the appearance of wrinkles and sagging.
Perhaps the best anti-aging cream is sunscreen. It will not do anything with the internal causes of aging, but it will help avoid external ones. It is better to use a cream with an ultraviolet protection level (SPF) of at least 30.
2. To keep your skin hydrated, you need to drink more water.
You can find a lot of advice on the Internet drink more waterto avoid dry skin. However, this connection does not have good evidence.
The only system review, dedicated to this topic, was published in 2018. Scientists found six studies that confirmed that an additional 1-2 liters of water per day can increase the hydration of the stratum corneum of the skin, reduce dryness and roughness, increase elasticity. Especially for those who usually drank little.
But at the same time, the authors of the review noted that the mechanism of such a relationship is not clear, and in another scientific work noticedthat the evidence is weak because the research is insufficient, it is not particularly high quality, and the risk of error is very high.
In addition, skin hydration is largely depends from transepidermal water loss.
The epidermis has a special lipid barrier that prevents moisture loss. If it is destroyed, for example due to disease, air pollution, sunburn, then the moisture quickly evaporates and the skin becomes dry.
In this case, there is no point in drinking more water, because it will evaporate just as quickly from the surface of the skin. But the use of moisturizers that retain moisture in the skin Maybe help.
3. Antibacterial soap is good for skin
Such soap may be useful during an epidemic, but it cannot be said that it has a good effect on the skin. Quite the contrary.
The fact is that our skin is inhabited by a huge amount bacteria. Together with immune and skin cells they answer behind the protective barrier. A disturbance in the microbiome can lead to diseases such as acne, atopic and seborrheic dermatitis, and dandruff.
Excessive use of soap or other antiseptics Maybe disrupt the microbiome and reduce its diversity, as well as damage the surface of the skin and disrupt its protective function.
There are situations when hand disinfection is simply necessary, but using antibacterial facial soap or trying to treat with it acne - this is definitely a bad idea.
4. Acne comes from dirt
You can often hear that acne occurs because environmental impurities settle on the skin, mix with sweat, clog pores and cause pimples. Actually this is not true.
Does not exist evidence that acne is associated with poor hygiene, and thorough skin cleansing helps get rid of it or at least reduce it manifestations.
Acne is a disease that arises due to blockage of hair follicles with oil and dead skin cells. For treatment, local drugs and antibiotics are used, usually in combination.
But frequent washing can injure the skin and only worsen the condition.
5. Pores can open and close
It is often said that pores in the skin can open up, for example under the influence of steam or hot water, and then close. This is wrong.
What we call pores are tiny holes in the surface of the skin through which sebum produced by the sebaceous glands, as well as sweat from the eccrine glands, exits.
Scientists do not fully know why the pores have different diameters. Alone suggestthat their width is affected by the amount of sebum, gender and age. Other consider, that over time the pores do not become wider, and the production of sebum simply makes the skin more oily and shiny, which makes the pores visible.
However, these holes cannot expand or contract at will, for example due to temperature. But they can become clogged with a mixture of sebum, dead skin and other pollutants from the environment, which makes them more noticeable.
To prevent this from happening, costs avoid comedogenic cosmetics with added oils and twice a day wash your face warm water. But hot water can cause irritation, making the pores more noticeable.
For the same reason, dermatologists do not recommend getting carried away with scrubs. Too harsh products can cause inflammation, and instead of a clean face, you will get irritation and even more noticeable enlarged pores.
6. Vitamin E helps with scars
Topical preparations with vitamin E are positioned as treatments for scars and stretch marks, but the scientific evidence on this is mixed.
In a review of scientific works in 2016 taken away six high-quality studies on the use of vitamins for the treatment of scars. While three of them found that vitamin E products helped, the other three found no significant difference.
Moreover, among the experiments in which vitamin E helped, only in one case was the remedy used as the only method of treatment, and on children. In the remaining two, local application of tocopherol was combined with other methods.
But in experiments where vitamin E did not help, it was used as the only method of treatment.
Moreover, in two of six studies came to light side effects from topical application: contact dermatitis, itching and rashes.
7. Scratches need air to heal.
You can often hear that scratches and wounds do not need to be covered with a band-aid, because they need fresh air to heal. Actually this is not true.
Sterile, humid environment accelerates formation of new epithelium, reduces inflammation, necrosis and the rate of subsequent scar formation.
So don't rush to shoot patch from a wound or cut - in the early stages of healing it definitely does not need air.
8. Sunscreen is only needed on the beach
Exposure to ultraviolet radiation counts one of the main external causes of skin aging. UV rays reduce hyaluronic acid in the epidermis and dermis, causing drier skin, and cause oxidative stress, which damages skin cells.
Moreover, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and especially sunburn increase melanoma risk.
Using sunscreen helps reduce the risk of skin cancer and also greatly slows the onset of signs aging.
Research confirmthat daily use of cream with SPF 30+ helps reduce pigmentation and dry skin, and slow down the appearance of signs of aging.
So if you want to protect your skin from aging and cancer, apply sunscreen on areas of the body not protected by clothing every day. Especially if you leave the house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when the sun is most active.
And we would recommend completely avoiding relaxing on the beach during peak sun activity and visiting the solarium.
9. Moles should be covered in the sun to prevent cancer
Because the moles can degenerate into melanoma - a malignant neoplasm; some people fear that if the sun shines on a mole, this may trigger the process of degeneration. They are especially worried about large and convex formations, since they seem to be the most vulnerable.
UV rays do increase the risk of skin cancer, but it's not just moles you should be concerned about. Melanoma arises of moles only in 25–33% of cases, otherwise it appears on the skin without all sorts of marks. Moreover, even degenerated moles are most often flat rather than convex.
To reduce your risk of melanoma, protect your entire skin from the sun, and do this is right.
When going out into the sun, cover your skin with clothing as much as possible, wear a hat, and on open areas apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. And renew it every 2 hours of exposure to the sun.
10. Skin rash is an allergy
Skin rash can actually occur due to allergies, for example to certain foods or pollen. However, besides this There is and other diseases that can cause redness and itching:
- Contact dermatitis (irritant) - inflammation that occurs in response to irritants, such as alkalis, acids, soap, abrasives such as scrubs.
- Prickly heat - a condition in which the outflow of sweat is difficult due to a humid and hot environment.
- Intertrigo - inflammation that occurs from friction of skin against skin, usually in folds - on the stomach, under the breasts, in the groin, in the armpits. Sometimes an infection can add to the irritation.
- Rosacea - a chronic hereditary disease that causes skin redness (erythema), acne rashes and dilation of small blood vessels in the skin. Rosacea occurs in waves and can be triggered by spicy foods, hot drinks, exercise, cosmetics, excessively hot or cold weather, alcohol, stress, wind and sun.
- Shingles (herpes) - a viral disease that can cause rashes with blisters.
- Insect bites - itchy red spots on the skin may occur from bed or sand flea bites. The latter are not found in Russia, but can be found on beaches in Asia, Central and South America.
Most types of rashes are not life-threatening, so make an appointment with your doctor immediately costs, If:
- the rash has spread throughout the body;
- the temperature has risen;
- the rash appeared suddenly and spreads quickly;
- bubbles appeared;
- the areas of the rash feel painful;
- yellow or green discharge appears, swelling, pain, crust formation, increased temperature at the site of the rash - these signs may indicate the appearance of an infection.
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