Debugging The Skin Myths
Words by Katherine C. Eustaquio
Published in Action & Fitness Magazine August 2009 issue
Myth: Exfoliating reduces hair growth.
What you do to the epidermis does not affect the metabolism of the follicles underneath.
Myth: Wrinkles start popping in your mid-20s. Once you reach 25, it’s all downhill from there.
Wrinkles and fine lines at this age bracket are due to excessive sun exposure. It’s not a biological curse.
Fact: Squinting leads to crow’s feet.
Repetitive facial expressions squeeze skin cells millions of times. When skin loses its elasticity, these squeezed skin cells can lead to wrinkles. Even smiling and frowning can cause wrinkles—but that can’t be helped. You don’t want to walk around with a poker face all day, right?
Myth: Always apply creams using upwards strokes to avoid wrinkles and skin sagging.
Seriously, can you really rub wrinkles on your skin? Healthy skin bounces back when you stretch it. So even if you apply creams in ten different strokes, it doesn’t really matter. However, sleeping on the same side of the bed with the same cheek pressed against your pillow can cause wrinkles because you’re creasing the same area of the skin night after night.
Published in Action & Fitness Magazine August 2009 issue
Myth: Exfoliating reduces hair growth.
What you do to the epidermis does not affect the metabolism of the follicles underneath.
Myth: Wrinkles start popping in your mid-20s. Once you reach 25, it’s all downhill from there.
Wrinkles and fine lines at this age bracket are due to excessive sun exposure. It’s not a biological curse.
Fact: Squinting leads to crow’s feet.
Repetitive facial expressions squeeze skin cells millions of times. When skin loses its elasticity, these squeezed skin cells can lead to wrinkles. Even smiling and frowning can cause wrinkles—but that can’t be helped. You don’t want to walk around with a poker face all day, right?
Myth: Always apply creams using upwards strokes to avoid wrinkles and skin sagging.
Seriously, can you really rub wrinkles on your skin? Healthy skin bounces back when you stretch it. So even if you apply creams in ten different strokes, it doesn’t really matter. However, sleeping on the same side of the bed with the same cheek pressed against your pillow can cause wrinkles because you’re creasing the same area of the skin night after night.
