Ever wondered about the veracity of Old Wives’ Tales and household remedies? Some of these beauty related myths are so deeply entrenched into our minds, that I find it impossible to convince patients (and my own family members!) that there is simply no truth to these fables. In this issue, I have debunked some of the most popular beauty myths of our time to reveal authentic facts, because truth be told, no one understands the human skin as well as a dermatologist does.

Cosmetic creams can turn back time and reverse skin ageing

There is a lot more to ageing than wrinkles and blotchy skin. It is not just the skin, but the face which ages as well. This includes gravitational pull on facial tissues that leads to sagging, and facial fat, bones and soft tissues which begin to shrink, leading to loss of elasticity and plumpness of the face. Nutrition and hormones play a major role as well. None of these age-related changes can be addressed by some “miracle in a jar”. Cosmetic creams can only hydrate the skin, fade away some of your age spots, plump out fine lines, and even out the tone of your skin. For serious anti-ageing measures, consult a dermatologist or plastic surgeon for medical treatments.

Cleanse, Tone, Scrub, Nourish (Moisturize) and Protect (Sunscreen) – The Mantra to good skin

This one’s mostly true. But opinion is now divided over the usefulness of a toner. If you have dry and sensitive skin, toners are too harsh for you. Toners strip off excess oil and sebum from the skin, but there are cleansers available today which do this better, without irritating the skin into secreting even more oil. Scrubs are not meant to be used on a daily basis either, as our skin has the natural ability to exfoliate. In fact, daily use of scrubs, loofahs, brushes, pumice stones and other abrasives can cause frictional damage to the skin, leaving it dry, raw and pigmented.

Repeated washing, squeezing and extraction will clear up acne and Blackheads

Acne and blackheads are not caused by dirt or by touching your face with your hands. Over-washing your face will leave your pores water-logged besides irritating your skin into secreting even more oil, leading to more blackheads and whiteheads. In fact, you are wrong if you believe that you do not need moisturizer if you have oily skin. The use of a water or gel based moisturizer after washing your face will keep your oil glands calm. This is especially relevant for those on anti-acne treatments, as anti acne creams and medications can leave your skin dry and sun-sensitive. Manual extraction of blackheads is the fastest way to get them out, but the pores can and will clog up again, unless you use the right cleansers along with glycolic acid or retinol based creams to prevent recurrence. NEVER squeeze or pick on acne. It does not get rid of acne, but will leave you with marks which take a long time to fade away. Worse, it can lead to scars and pits which are permanent deformities.

Itching during pregnancy will leave you with stretch marks

There is no scientific or logical basis to this popular belief. Stretch marks, as the term suggests, are caused by the rapid stretching of skin during pregnancy, which leads to permanent damage to some of the elastic fibers of the skin. The belly itching of pregnancy is also caused by over-stretching of the skin, hence the misconception. Enjoy a good scratch, but consult a dermatologist if the scratching leads to skin rashes and hives as these could be a symptom of pregnancy related liver issues. Using a thick greasy moisturizer like cocoa butter or shea butter can soothe some of that itch, though it won’t really keep away the stretch marks.

Shaving will make your hair grow back thicker and darker

This one’s definitely a myth. Shaving only cuts hair at the surface. It does not have any effect on the hair root, and therefore has no bearing on the thickness, color or rate of hair growth. You might feel this way as shaving leaves the hair with a blunt tip which feels coarse and stubbly when all of the shaved hair grows back together. One does’nt experience the stubbly feeling with waxing, as it pulls out hair from the roots and the hair regrows at different rates. If there was any truth to this popular myth, then there would not be any bald men in the world!

Junk food causes acne

This one’s a little complicated. For years, women have believed that chocolates and fried foods cause acne break outs. And for years, dermatologists have insisted that there is no scientific evidence to back this statement. However, obesity (often a fall back of junk food) can lead to hormonal imbalances like insulin resistance and polycystic ovaries, which in turn can result in acne. It is sugary and starchy food (known as “high glycemic diets” in medical parlance), rather than fat, which leads to hormonal imbalances. Dairy products can also lead to acne break outs. In conclusion, will diet does not cause acne, it can certainly influence it. On the other hand, food rich in zinc, selenium and beta-carotene (for eg, fish, eggs, brown rice, all orange and yellow fruits and vegetables) can help fight acne.

Cosmetics which are labeled as “All Natural” or “Hypoallergenic” are absolutely safe

I’m not trying to imply that these claims are bogus. But “All Natural” cosmetics usually contain one or two essential oils and plant extracts while the rest of the composition is made up of synthetic ingredients. “Unscented” cosmetics are free from detectable odors but may actually contain fragrances which mask the original smell of its ingredients, say the odor of Rhealba Oats. “Hypoallergenic” does not have an official definition. It only means that the product has been patch tested on a few 100 volunteers in a clinical trial, and no adverse allergic reactions were noted. It is a common misconception that ‘natural’ products are hypoallergenic. People all over the world have reported allergies to essential oils, pure aloe vera, arnica and witch hazel among others.

Plucking out one gray hair will lead to two

The age at which your hair starts to gray is genetically determined. Stress and nutritional deficiencies can make it worse. In most people, early graying occurs in zones like the temple or the forelock, so one might imagine that plucking out gray hair in these areas lead to even more gray hair. Nonetheless plucking is not a wise or long term solution. Repeated plucking can also damage hair roots. You might want to consider hair coloring, or better yet, gracefully accept your grays.

Fairness and Bleaching creams are absolutely safe

Fairness and bleaching creams contain ingredients like hydroquinone, mercury, pearl extracts, kojic acid, and steroids among others, which should not be used on a long term basis without a doctor’s prescription. Complications include paradoxical pigmentation of the skin, allergic reactions, sun sensitivity, itching, acne and skin thinning. In fact, many of these ingredients have been banned in various countries. The skin lightening effects are temporary, which is why it is easy for one to get addicted to these creams, to maintain the bleached look. Every dermatologist today will advice against the use of bleaching creams, except in the treatment of medical conditions. Use a medical grade broad spectrum sunscreen instead to fade away unwanted tan. It is important to realize that one cannot hope to become fairer than their genetically determined skin tone.