Face Value - Debunking the 6 Biggest Skin Care Myths Out There

No matter your age, having a good skin is a trait we all desire. We’re always looking for the newest product or treatment to give us flawless skin, and sometimes we even try crazy methods in hopes that it will improve our skin. There’s a lot of information out there about skin care, which unfortunately means that there is also a lot of misinformation out there as well. It can be tough to determine what is factual and what is just a myth when it comes to skin care, but because skin care is essential to proper health, it is necessary to avoid some of the popular myths circulating. The most common of these myths can be found below.

 

Myth 1 – You Don’t Need Sunscreen on Cloudy Days

You may be great at applying sunscreen on blistering sunny days, but we often think that unless the sun is out, it can’t harm our skin. Both UVB and UVA rays can be very harmful for the skin. Sadly, even on cloudy days these rays can penetrate clouds and cause a very large amount of damage to the skin. In order to prevent this, be certain to wear sunscreen during the day, no matter the weather conditions. You can also invest in some makeup that has SPF in it, so you don’t have to remember the extra step of putting sunscreen on.

 

 

Myth 2 – Scrubbing with Soap is Good for Acne and General Skin Care

You’ve probably heard that scrubbing your face with soap will help your acne and clear up some blemishes, however, this isn’t necessarily true. According to the professionals of Associated Dermatologists, because some types of soap can be very astringent, it is typically not a good idea to use highly alkaline soaps, as they can irritate skin and actually contribute to acne. Additionally, these soaps can destroy all oils on the skin, causing skin to overproduce natural oils, also contributing to acne. In order to avoid this, be certain to use gentle soaps.

 

 

Myth 3 – Expensive Skin Products are the Best

This is a common skin care misconception, and unfortunately we often think the more money we spend on skin care products, the better our skin will look. While expensive, these products are more of a status symbol than an effective skin care product; however, there are expensive and high-quality skin care products. In order to avoid overpaying for a skin care product, be sure to do research prior—see if you can find any reviews about the product or ask your dermatologist if the results are truly worth the money. While you will surely want quality products to treat your skin with, you can find good skin care products for reasonable prices at the grocery store.

 

 

Myth 4 – All Facials are Good for Your Skin

While facials can have great temporary benefits for the skin, there are no positive long-term effects from these treatments; in fact, both facials and microdermabrasion can actually cause acne if you use them too much. This isn’t true of all facials, but it is important to be careful with they types of facials you use and how often you use them. Some facials can wear on your skin and make the exterior thinner. Consult with your dermatologist about specific facials to use or avoid depending on your skin type.

 

 

Myth 5 -  Laser Treatments can Make you Look 30 Years Younger

While laser treatments can be effective, they typically aren’t as effective as advertised. These treatments can be effective in the reduction of sun spots and wrinkles; however, don’t be misled by overzealous advertisements. These treatments can get expensive, so it might be more worth your money to invest in anti-aging skin care products to apply naturally instead. Most women are disappointed by the results (or lack thereof) of their laser treatments, so carefully consider whether or not it is worth the investment.

 

 

Myth 6 – Popping Pimples is a Good Idea

While popping a pimple can give one a feeling of satisfaction, it can actually force pus deeper within the skin, reinforcing the infection. For those who can’t stop popping their pimples, it is necessary to use something called a comedone extractor, a small tool that will help remove blackheads and whiteheads. It can be tough to resist the temptation, but if you leave your face alone, your zits will go away much faster than if you try and pop them—just fueling the infection’s fire.

 

Because these myths are so prevalent, it can be tough to know what to believe. You must remember that everyone’s skin is different, and what is good for one person’s skin, could be bad for someone else’s. If you can find products that work well for your skin, you should stick to those instead of following after crazy or drastic trends that claim to give you perfect skin. If you haven’t found any products that help your skin, consult a dermatologist in order to get professional advice about what kinds of products will be best for your skin specifically.

Categories: debunking, face, Myths, skincare

Debunking Fitness Myths For Women

Getting fit and working to achieve your desired body takes a lot of dedication and commitment. For women who hop straight from work to the gym, the end result will make all the sweating out and ditching some cheesecake totally worth it. However, we can often be too blinded about our goal that we end up losing sight of the possibility of doing some things wrong and following beliefs that are inaccurate. To help you identify what to not believe, here are some popular fitness myths that badly need to be debunked.

 

Myth 1

Sculpting makes you less feminine

This could be one of the reasons why women, despite their desire to stay fit, would not want to go all the way and sculpt their bodies. There’s a notion that weight training could actually make women more bulky. This thought has to be corrected. Women do not produce as much testosterone as men do, so it is very unlikely for a woman to gain huge amounts of muscle mass. Testosterone is a very anabolic hormone found in the human body, which is very important for gains in muscle mass. Men usually have about ten times more testosterone than women. Naturally, you can’t be bulky like those female bodybuilders simply because those women use anabolic steroids. This synthetic testosterone is paired with other drugs in order to achieve high degree of muscularity and get a firm and fit cellulite-free looking body.

 

Myth 2

Protein will make you bulky

Since we’re talking about the fear of looking bulky here, there’s another popular opinion that gets girls a little hesitant: consuming protein can make an individual build lots of muscle and look bulky. Protein builds and repairs muscle fibres damaged after doing strenuous activity such as weightlifting. Therefore it is highly important to have this in the body. As mentioned, women have lower testosterone levels compared to men, therefore having protein-rich diet will tone the body and strengthen the muscle rather than making it bulky. Australian fitness expert Belinda Benn recommends fuelling your body by getting a meal and hour before workout and then taking in a quick-absorbing protein directly after working out when the muscle can still quickly absorb. To help the body recover, eat another good meal an hour later. An important tip to remember when consuming protein shakes is to ensure that it’s not packed with calories from fat.

 

Myth 3

It is possible to lose fat in just one area

Most girls are guilty of this. We often hear ourselves saying, “Oh I want so bad to lose my belly fats but I do not want any changes in my other body parts.” To speak straightforwardly, this is just impossible. The body is not capable of spot reduction so you couldn’t possibly lose fat exclusively in the abdominal area the way you would have wanted to. Losing weight means having it occurring in the entire body and not just in one spot. However, because body fat is not reduced evenly, it is normal for some people to have trouble areas, for women, this is often the stomach, arms, and legs. If you want to appear more toned, a reduction in body fat and increase in muscle mass are necessary. Body fat reduction occurs when a person is in a caloric deficit, wherein there is a decrease in calorie consumption or an increase in the amount of exercise, or both. To help you achieve a caloric deficit, opt for cardiovascular training.

 

Myth 4

It’s not effective if it’s not at least an hour

Most of us have this idea that if we spend long hours on the treadmill, we’d have more chance of burning unwanted fats. But when it comes to working out, intensity makes more of an impact than duration. Trainer Noah Neiman of Barry’s Bootcamp suggests that, “Three intense 15-minute sessions a week have proven to be an adequate amount of stimulus to put the body in a healthy state.” So this means you can skip the two-hour long jogs and unproductive workout sets and instead go for high intensity interval training. For body sculpting, cardio exercises are advisable as they are capable of burning calories and fats while sparing the muscle mass, which is a very important factor in sculpting. Do some intense interval cardio workouts that will increase your body’s growth hormone. Different techniques may apply to different body types. You may need to take supplementary drinks and products like YOR Health to help achieve your desired figure. Whatever you do, make sure to be smart enough to do your research and seek professional help so as not to defy your purpose. And remember, do it with quality not quantity.

 

Author Bio

A blogger based in San Diego, California, Amanda Smith has a penchant for writing about technology and gadgets, travel and arts, health and wellness, and just about anything that tickles her fancy. When she’s not writing, she’s busy catching up on her favourite sitcoms with her yellow Labrador, Chandler Tribbiani. More of her works can be found at wordbaristas.com.

Categories: body, bulky, caloric deficit, consuming protein, debunking, fitness, fitness myths, Muscle, muscle mass, Myths, nbsp myth, Women