In this adapation from her new book, "Simple Skin Beauty", Ellen Marmur MD, clears up some common complexion misconceptions
1. Only a Spa facial will deep clean your pores
I hate to be a spoilsport, but deep cleaning is a myth, and facials are completely unnecessary, although they are wonderfully luxurious. If they’re enjoyable and make you feel better about how you look, they could be worth the time and money, but they are not directly medicinal. As for extractions, they are tricky and superfluous and can even be unsafe. Although extractions seem to miraculously (but some-times painfully) take away the gunk in your pores, it’s basically a manual form of ex-foliation (removing the ker-atin plugs from your pores). Plus, putting so much pressure on the pore can push oil and be-nign bacteria so far down into the skin that they burst out the bottom into your skin tissue. This rupture can cause inflammation and may ultimately leave a scar or a cyst, especially if your skin is dark.
2. Wearing foundation with sunscreen will protect you from UV rays
Applying makeup that contains SPF is better than no protection at all, but it’s not as effective as wearing a facial lotion with sunscreen. Why? Most of us desire a natural, less-is-more look with our makeup, but less is not more when it comes to sun protection. Unless your makeup is spackled on, you’re not getting enough protection from it. It’s betterto think of SPF makeup assomething you apply over your daily sun-screen or moisturizer to boost UV pro-tection. Likewise, using a mineral powder foundation, which usually contains the sun block titanium dioxide, isn’t enough on its own, but it’s a brilliant way to re-apply sunscreen during the day and touch up your makeup at the same time.
3. For radiant skin, an at-home mask must be part of your regimen
Masks feel rejuvenating, and I relish the thought of putting one on and relaxing in front of the TV. Of course, the odds of that happening (with four kids, a crazy schedule and a husband who would laugh himself silly at seeing me covered in blue or green gook) are slim to none. But so are the chances that a mask—whether it’s one that moisturizes or a clay mask in-tended to soak up oil—can do something really transformative or long-lasting to my skin. Can a mask super-moisturize your face and seal in the hydration? Yes, but only until the mask is rinsed off. The truth is, a mask is like lip balm for your face: an occlusive film over the surface that provides a nice, temporary fix.
4. Natural or Organic Ingredients are safer for your skin.
Organic face products can produce the same results as their synthetic counterparts, which means they also have the potential to be irritating. Most people don’t realize that natural ingredients are still chemicals. For example, the medical term for vitamin C is ascorbic acid, so when you see “vitamin C” on a label, be aware that it’s technically a chemical. Also, certain ingredients—botanicals and pure essen-tial oils, such as tea tree oil, menthol and especially citrus (natural citric acid)—can trigger an allergic reaction or irrita-tion. Fungi extract con-tains kojic acid (a natural skin-lightener), and papaya and pineapple en-zymes exfoliate the skin be-cause they are alpha-hydroxy acids. These acidic elements can be even stronger in their natural forms, so it’s important to test any product—even a natural one—on the inside of your arm before using it on your face.
5. Breakouts aren’t caused by what you eat
Many studies have shown that eating a high-fat diet can increase your skin’s sebum output, leaving your face oilier. High-glycemic index carbohydrates (like pizza and cookies, which are quickly converted into glucose) raise the blood sugar level; that releases insulin and androgen, the hormones that signal the sebaceous glands to go for broke. Other research has found that consumingdairy products set off acne (perhaps by triggering testos-terone to activate the sebaceous glands). So if you’re over40 and still suffer from break-outs, you may want to stay away from dairy products and processed foods with a high carbohydrate and sugar content. And while eating choc-olate has not been proven to cause acne, I’m living proof that it does—my bet is that science will find a link.
6. If you wear sunscreen, you won’t get enough vitamin D
This vitamin makes your bones stronger (it boosts the absorption of calcium);it also has beneficial effects on the immune system [see “Boot Camp for Your Immune System,” page 172]. So it’s important to synthesize vitamin D through the skin, and to do that you need some sun every day—but you can get plenty without go-ing unprotected. If you’re ex-posed to sunlight for five to 15 minutes,your body will make vitamin D. Even wearing a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater, you’ll still get enough UV radiation on your way to work or the gro-cery store. The rumors of a vitamin D deficiency epi-demic were exaggerated—many of the diagnoses were the result of lab errors. The only people who should worry about a D deficiency are those who are homebound or have malabsorption issues. For most of us, it’s a less significant concern than the effects of UV radiation.
7. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going out in the sun
The 30-minutes part is the myth. Sunscreen, especially physical sun blocks such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, are almost instantly effective. What’s true, however, is that it’s vital to apply your sunscreen not on the beach but before you go out-side. The five minutes you spend walking from your car to the pool, the beach or the tennis court are five minutes your skin is left totally unprotected. The best approach: Apply sunscreen when you’re naked. Dot your skin all over, and blend the lotion in before you put on your clothing or swimsuit. Whatever you wear, it will shift and move as you do, so protect every inch of skin—even underneath your clothing (which has an SPF of only 2 to 5).
8. Frequent face washing actually makes your skin oilier
There are amazing biofeedback mechanisms in your skin that do things like send inflammatory cells into action to help soothe and repair your skin when it’s wounded by a sunburn or a scrape. But boosting oil production to compensate for frequent cleansing? No research shows that’s in your skin’s repertoire. The most likely result of over-washing your face is dehy-dration, even irritation—but not a complexion that’s excessively oily.
9. Mist your face with water on a plane to keep your skin from drying out
No way! It’s true that the low-humidity environment inside a pressurized cabin is moisture-sapping: There’s often 20 percent less moisture on a plane than inside your house. But if you mist your face intermittently throughout a long flight, the water will evaporate (along with any moisture that was on your skin before you misted), leaving your complexion even drier than it was before. If you like to use a facial mist, make sure that along with water it contains a humectant such as glycerin or aloe vera, which sticks to the skin and locks in the moisture you just spritzed.
From Simple Skin Beauty by Ellen Marmur MD, with Gina Way. Copyright @2009 by Dr. Ellen Marmur. Reprinted by permission of Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc.