When you are a licensed skin expert, you know, someone who walks into a building every day and the word Dermatology is on the front door, absurd skin advice gets under your skin (pun intended). Social media is so fun, it’s addictive, it’s connecting us all the time, even when we may not be close by or get to visit each other as often as we’de like. Every single day as I scroll through my various social media feeds I see all these crazy skin hacks that people recommend or are sharing from a blog or wherever else. I’m not talking about your run of the mill pyramid selling skin care line products (that’s a whole different blog post) I’m talking about those things that make you say “Really?!?!” or “gross!” or WHY?!?”. You know what I’m talking about, you’ve seen them and sometimes even for a brief moment wanted to try them. Although some of them may not help your skin, that’s really not too bad a loss. Some of them could hurt your skin-BOO! Here are some of the more infamous skin hacks and their safer, scientific based alternatives.
Crazy skin trick #1: Toothpaste on acne. It’s not called skinpaste for a reason, it’s for your teeth. I love toothpaste on my teeth but most of them have dyes and irritants that cause the skin to be dry, red and inflamed-no good. Although these symptoms will camouflage a pimple I think you are better off to treat the pimple.
Scientific Alternative: Pulsed Dye Laser. Instead of freaking out when you get that pimple the day before a big interview come see us and let us laser it. The PDL will help get rid of the red in that pimple instead of camouflaging it with more red.
Crazy skin trick #2: Cannabis Facial. Okay first of all marijuana oil is illegal in the state of Arkansas so unless you enjoy jail time or want to move to Colorado or Washington I’de find an alternative. But second of all there is no science (yet) that the THC in old Mary Jane actually has any anti-inflammatory effects topically.
Scientific Alternative: Moisturize. Yeah a cannabis facial may make you “feel younger” as some have recently claimed but so will slapping on a good thick moisturizer. Moisturizer will instantly plump fine lines and help with dullness and overall skin health. Try something plain like Cetaphil.
Crazy skin trick #3:Urotherapy (applying your urine to your skin). I can’t even stop laughing as I type this. Really? Google it, Ur-In-therapy, pee for pimples, the urine facial…. I mean you can’t make this stuff up. How many online reviews that encourage it and say it works is even more mind blowing. I recently read an article of kids that were getting infections because they were keeping pee in a jar for weeks that would grow bacteria (shocker) and then they had infections all over their face on top of acne.
Scientific Alternative:Benzoyl Peroxide. It’s over the counter, not as free as pee but cheap. You can get it as a leave on cream or as a wash. It’s been researched and is an old tried and true. It has a bactericidal effect on P. acnes (the bacteria associated with acne) and is actually very effective, cheap and easy. Warning-can cause irritation and will bleach towels on contact.
Crazy skin trick #4: Rubbing a penny on a hickey. Who thought penny’s would get rid of hickeys? Weird. If you rubbed hard enough with that penny you could cause redness, inflammation and even more bruising.
Scientific Alternative: Don’t let someone suck your skin so hard you get a bruise. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. But just in case that didn’t work for you come let us laser it to go away quicker or try some Arnicare gel.
What crazy skin tricks have you guys tried? I so remember putting toothpaste on my face before Woodland Junior High dances….. not the worst thing I ever did to my skin, but not the smartest either! I had fun reading all the wild advice on the internet and it just made me appreciate you all so much. There are too many options out there and you choose to trust us at Johnson Dermatology with your skin. Thank you.
Hope your Memorial Day long weekend was as excellent as mine! Hope to see you all this week at the clinic, XXOO, Nina
“I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.” Lee Greenwood
