In This Feature
MYTH 1: Chocolate causes acne
MYTH 2: Most skin damage happens before you turn 18
MYTH 3: Dry skin causes wrinkles
MYTH 4: Varicose veins come from crossing your legs
MYTH 5: Lip balm is addictive
MYTH 6: Tanning hides cellulite
MYTH 7: Rinsing with cold water makes your hair shiny
MYTH 8: Vaporub or Listerine cures toenail fungus
8 Beauty Myths
August 18, 2008
Where do you get your beauty secrets: your mother, your sister, your best friend? Most of us trust the advice of our family and friends, but are any of their tips backed up by medical evidence? Beauty fixes that sound too good to be true often are and some advice is just plain dangerous; but take heart: simple changes to your daily routine can keep you looking fabulous.
Email ThisMYTH 1: Chocolate causes acne
For a long time parents told their teenagers that chocolate caused their acne problems. The Acne Resource Center explained, “A chocolate candy bar is innocent, but is blamed regularly. Other foods that are blamed include pizza, potato chips and dairy products.” Eating foods that are generally considered unhealthy won’t trigger acne breakouts; however, adding fruits and vegetables to your diet can help prevent them.
MYTH 2: Most skin damage happens before you turn 18
Dermatologist Dr. Katie Rodan says, “Recent studies have shown that by age 18, you’ve only accumulated 18 to 23 percent of the sun damage you’ll incur over a lifetime.” It’s never too late to keep the sun from ruining your skin, so keep wearing sunscreen.
MYTH 3: Dry skin causes wrinkles
According to “Cosmetics Cop” Paula Begoun, co-author of the book “Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me,” “Extensive studies and analysis have shown dry skin is frequently a by-product or result of other assaults on skin that are really the cause of wrinkles. In other words, dry skin is primarily a symptom of other factors causing wrinkles,” so simply moisturizing may not be helpful. However, products containing antioxidants, exfoliants and “cell-communicating ingredients” can help keep your skin supple.
MYTH 4: Varicose veins come from crossing your legs
The New York Times reports that “more than 12 large studies that have looked at the risk factors for varicose veins have not found leg-crossing to be one of them.” However, the article adds that standing or being sedentary for more than 8 hours per day can lead to varicose veins.
MYTH 5: Lip balm is addictive
Lisa Chavis, author of “Ask Your Pharmacist,” delves into the debate over “lip balm addiction”; many people regard this as a serious problem, although neither they (nor Chavis) appear to be aware that the “Lip Balm Anonymous” to which she refers is a spoof site. Chavis explains that the real problem may be “lip-licking.” Repeatedly applying and licking off balm causes chapping, “because the enzymes in your saliva are not very friendly to delicate lip tissue.”
MYTH 6: Tanning hides cellulite
Dr. Mariusz Sapijaszko, medical director of the Western Canada Dermatology Institute in Edmonton, explains that tanning only hides cellulite in the short term. Eventually, long-term UV damage will make your cellulite look worse than ever. If you want the look without the danger, try self-tanning products instead.
MYTH 7: Rinsing with cold water makes your hair shiny
If you’ve been enduring 15 seconds of arctic freeze each morning after you shampoo, you can stop now. Hair specialist Phillip Kingsley, author of “The Hair Bible” advises, “Cold water may help close your pores, but it doesn't affect the hair cuticle in the same way." Keep your hair shiny by eating protein-rich foods, working omega fatty acids into your diet, using a clarifying shampoo once a week and using nourishing conditioner every time you wash.
MYTH 8: Vaporub or Listerine cures toenail fungus
Many have offered online personal testimonies that Vaporub or Listerine cures toenail fungus, But no clinical research exists to confirm or deny these claims. Dr. Jeffrey Benabio agrees that these products may improve the look of your nails, but “none of these home remedies are likely to cure toenail fungus.” You’re better off consulting with your podiatrist or taking a more conventional over-the-counter medication.
© 2008 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
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