Skincare Slip-ups: How You Care For Your Skin Could Cause More Harm Than Good

Skincare is often associated with vanity, but as the body’s largest organ, we know that it’s much, much more. And while there are scores of fashion magazines and skin care infomercials that would have you believe otherwise, there are beauty regimens and products that may actually be harming your skin. Derick Dermatology wants you to be well informed about your skin care, so before you buy-in to the next craze or buy any “miracle” skin care products, use the following guidelines to determine if you’re actually taking care of your skin.

Your Skin and the Sun
There are many misconceptions about your skin when it comes to the sun:

• You don’t need sunscreen if it’s cloudy or overcast
• You don’t need sunscreen if you have dark skin
• You won’t burn if you get a “base tan”

The fact is, everyone needs to wear sunscreen, every day. Clouds do not protect your skin from UV rays. In fact, people tend to burn more on cloudy days because they generally spend more time outdoors when temperatures are less intense. Dark skin is as vulnerable to UV damage as even the palest skin, and a base tan is just another form of damage. Apply sunscreen with a high SPF and plan to reapply if you are perspiring, in water, or outside for a prolonged amount of time.

Your Skin and Water
Water is pure, clean, and is one thing we all need to keep our skin moisturized and healthy. Right? Not necessarily. While it is important to stay hydrated, Dr. Derick offered some advice in a 2015 Today.com article, “drinking lots of water really isn’t helping your skin look dewy and glowing. Dry skin is best treated at the surface with a daily moisturizer.”

Another way that water may be harming your skin is your daily shower. Using warm water instead of hot, limiting your use of harsh soaps that strip your skin of oil, and moisturizing as soon as you get out of the shower can help keep your skin from becoming overly dry.

Your Skin and Aging Creams
It’s tempting to avoid the dermatologist and turn to over-the-counter aging creams, instead, but do they provide the same results as injectable treatments such as Botox? They do not. Creams can help on the surface, but many wrinkles are caused by muscle contractions that only injectables can prevent. Instead of looking for products to undo the damage you already have, invest in a quality sunscreen to prevent further damage and ask your dermatologist what can be done about your wrinkles.

If you have questions about how to care for your skin or the products that you should use, contact Derick Dermatology today. Our offices in Arlington Heights, Barrington, Crystal Lake, and Elgin, combined with our extended hours for busy patients make getting an appointment more convenient than ever.