Dermatologists Share the Worst Skin Care Advice They’ve Ever Heard

Skin is the largest organ in the body, and taking care of it is the key to keeping your body healthy. But some skin care myths are not only unhelpful, they can actually harm your health and your looks.

We at Bright Side investigated 7 common skin care claims to find out which of them are not exactly true.

1. “Special exercises will remove my fine lines.”

A facial workout may do more harm than good. Our skin is elastic, and working out the muscles pulls on it and will stretch it out. Many of our fine lines come from excess muscle activity, and facial fitness may give you more wrinkles.

2. “Toothpaste will dry up my pimple.”

Although the menthol in toothpaste has a cooling effect and may temporarily reduce swelling, applying it on your face can irritate it. Toothpaste is formulated for your teeth and has a basic pH level. Skin has a naturally acidic pH, and upsetting it could lead to rashes and burning.

3. “Tanning clears up acne.”

A tan may temporarily cover the redness of acne, but this effect will eventually backfire. Sun dries up oily skin, and in response, it produces more oil, which may cause more breakouts. Using medication to treat acne makes skin more vulnerable to UV rays, which may lead to premature skin aging.

4. “I can use coconut oil instead of moisturizer.”

Coconut oil has many health benefits and can help fight blemishes, but if you have oily skin it may cause even more breakouts. Coconut oil is comedogenic, which means it clogs pores. It can result in skin inflammation and lead to acne.

5. “My skin is so oily, I need to wash it more.”

Over-cleansing your face can be just as harmful as not doing it at all. Scrubbing your face too much may damage your skin barrier. The outer layer of your skin contains fats that protect it from the environment, and disturbing this balance may result in inflammation.

6. “I don’t need sunscreen if I work in an office all day.”

Even if you spend most of your time indoors, you still need to protect your skin against sun damage. Window glass only blocks some UV rays, but it cannot block all of them equally. Exposure to UV rays may lead to wrinkles, sunspots, and skin cancer, and putting on sunscreen is an essential step in protecting your skin.

7. “Popping a pimple will help it go away faster.”

Randomly squeezing pimples can cause infection and scarring. If you’re popping a zit at home, you may push some of the contents inside the pimple deeper into the skin, which can lead to more noticeable and painful acne. To get rid of a pimple, it is best to visit a skin health professional to get a treatment.

Have you ever heard any of this advice? Do you know of any other skin care myths?