I see patients making the same mistakes with their skin care over and over. Today I decided to pull together a list of the most ...

worst-skincare-mistakes-my-patients-make

Worst Skincare Mistakes My Patients Make

i see my patients repeating these skin care mistakes all the time and i've spoken to plenty of my dermatologist colleagues and we agree this is the top list let's get started pop in those good old pimples as a general rule you should not pop your own pimples if you do attempt to pop a pimple and end up breaking your skin barrier you risk permanent acne scarring if your pimple contains infected pus popping it can spread bacteria into other pores hair follicles and create even a worse outbreak in fact popping a pimple can actually delay your body's natural healing process this is where spa treatments come in handy pouring on hydrogen peroxide and alcohol despite what we've been told as kids using hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol to clean an injury can actually harm the tissue and delay healing the best way to clean a minor wound is with cool running water and mild soap rinse the wound for at least five minutes to remove dirt debris and bacteria wounds however that are large deep or bleeding non-stop should be treated by a professional you know one with like scrubs like this shaving hard when it comes to how hard you should be pressing the razor blade down on your skin always remember less is more the harder you push down the more uneven the skin surface becomes because the skin begins to dimple and companies have tried to compensate for this common tendency making razors that resist shaving pressure but you will still get a great nick free shave if you use that light touch keeping wet clothes on for too long i'm talking about the rain the pool the gym whatever it is wet and sweaty clothing can trap dust and dirt that clogs pores and often leads to breakouts cotton is great at absorbing water therefore deflecting body oil but all this high-tech performance gear that we're wearing actually deflects water that's why it's moisture wicking however it also absorbs body oils and then the bacteria feed on those body oils and release a really gross scent on top of it you put yourself at higher risk for jock itch and other fungal infections which is no fun for your skin falling for social media fats tick tock and social media in general is loaded with skin care knowledge like this and this and this kitty litter on my face but it's important to remember that miracle cures don't exist and some of the hacks we see online are complete bs also do not assume what works for a friend or celeb will work for you everyone has unique skin care needs issues and goals and it's probably important to add that there's a lot of surgery and photoshopping at play online taking long hot showers hot showers are no bueno for your skin they might be good for your soul but ideally you should try and keep your showers on the shorter side and if you enjoy hot water you should keep it even shorter as that hot water can strip the body of oils and dry out your skin for my patients with eczema prone skin hot water actually draws moisture away from the skin and while it may feel good initially frequent exposure can actually exacerbate that eczema keeping small cuts and wounds covered so many of my patients believe the best way to let a minor wound heal is by letting it dry out actually keeping it covered and allowing it to stay moist has been shown to heal better with a healthier layer of new skin aka less visible scar forgetting the skin is its own organ the skin needs to be looked after just like all the other organs in our bodies consider getting regular skin exams especially if you have a family history used tanning beds or had many sunburns in the past knowing what's normal for you is incredibly important as well so if you see a mole change or a new one appear that's definitely worth a visit to your doctor no shade no sunblock you really need sunscreen every day yes even when it's cloudy raining or snowing ever go skiing and not wear sunblock sun exposure causes sunspots skin damage and even lead to skin cancer using a simple daily moisturizer sunscreen combo is best but make sure it's at least 30 spf and don't forget to apply to the ears and lips as they're the most commonly missed areas skipping the good old neck if your skin care routine stops at your jawline you're doing it wrong your neck needs some love too in fact the neck is one of the first areas of the body to show signs of aging because the skin is thinner than on your face also staring at her cell phones with our necks bent all the time isn't doing us any favors ever-changing routines and too many products as fun as it can be to try new skincare products doing so too frequently can create more questions and problems most ingredients will take at least four to six weeks of consistent use before noticeable changes also know that if you have a negative reaction it's gonna be really hard to pinpoint the cause if you introduce two to three products simultaneously over exfoliating with harsh scrubs while exfoliation is important in moderation it's easy to overdo it with exfoliating scrubs especially when your skin is feeling dry overdoing it can cause tiny tears in the skin leading to the development of a rash-like texture and uneven tone like patchy red blotches breakouts are another common reaction especially small rough bumpy pimples if you're using a scrub on your face you should do it max two times per week and when you're doing it please be gentle don't scrub your skin raw picking their skin you may not even realize that you do it but constantly picking at the skin can cause irritation inflamed skin and spread bacteria the digits or our fingers are the dirtiest parts of our bodies and harbor all sorts of bacteria that should stay on the outside of our skin if this is a nervous habit try to break it by keeping your hands busy with something else or perhaps asking for others to help point out when you're doing it without even knowing it fearing thy moisturizer skin is meant to keep bad things out of your body and moisturizing is imperative for a healthy skin barrier which is why you shouldn't skip out on using moisturizers daily many of my patients with oily or acne prone skin think they should use this product less but the reality is they should just find the right product for them i challenged hiram to see if he knew skin click here to check that out and as always stay happy and help you

Dr.

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