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Your skin is an open book for professionals. If you sleep in makeup, have acne, or don't drink enough water, chances are they're showing signs of your skin condition. What habits do they want you to change? They told us everything.
Stop following the crazy TikTok skin trend
Dermatologist Hysem Eldik says, "Every day, I see patients trying to imitate skin routines they find through social media . " “ It's hard to imagine that an influencer's routine will work for another person. Skin is unique and no two patients are the same. Tara Adashev , a plastic surgery nurse, offered a similar warning: "It seems like if it's on TikTok and it's a skin care trend, you should definitely 'try it.' Some of these trends are either terrible for your skin or not for you personally."
And just when the professionals think they've seen it all, patients start experiencing even crazier trends. Dermatologist Naana Boakye recently asked patients to rub deodorant on their faces because they saw it on TikTok. "I shook my head and asked why, because the ingredients can cause irritant contact dermatitis," she says. "Just…don't do it."
There are so many dangerous TikTok skincare trends, we actually have the whole story.
Stop over-exfoliating
Dermatologist Courtney Rubin knows that some of her patients tend to think: if a little is good, a lot is good. But this is not a smart way to treat your skin. Rubin explains, “Many of my patients overexfoliate with either hand scrubs or exfoliating brushes or chemicals like glycolic acid. "Many people mistakenly think that acne and skin problems are caused by 'dirty' skin, but over-exfoliation actually worsens the condition by damaging the skin barrier."
What is the ideal speed for peeling? "Once or twice a week can help remove dead cells from the surface of your skin," says Rubin. "But doing it five to seven times a week can damage the skin barrier, causing inflammation and redness, stinging/stinging, redness, dryness and redness."
Likewise, dermatologist Claire Wolinsky , a clinical instructor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine , said she has seen many patients abusing the product. "Patients often go through complex skin care regimens and find on examination that they're using too many vitamin C products or too many AHA/BHA or layered retinol and retinoids on the same day," she says. "Too many ingredients is not only a waste of money, but also increases the risk of skin irritation."
Start cleaning your phone, pillow case and face cover
While some patients focus excessively on cleanliness, others neglect the germinal parts of their lives.
Dermatologist Marisa Garsik warns of the dangers of cleaning your phone or changing a pillow case or face mask . "They can collect oil, bacteria, and residue from skin and hair products, all of which can contribute to acne or skin irritation," she says. "When patients present with a rash or acne on only one side of their face, it often turns out to be the side they've been talking on the phone or sleeping on. This accumulation can affect the skin."
Another place to focus on cleanliness is your makeup brush, says dermatologist Corey Hartman . "The face is a favorite place for bacteria, and makeup brushes collect that bacteria on the face during application," she says. "Bacteria can stay on your brush for weeks, if not months. Every time you brush a dirty makeup brush against your skin, you risk adding bacteria to your face, which can lead to breakouts or infections.
Start taking shorter showers
You may love traditional showers and baths, but your dermatologist knows they're not always good for your skin. Dermatologist Michael Gold says this is a concern for his atopic dermatitis patient.
"Water can be very drying to the skin," she says. "I recommend getting in and out of the shower or bath, drying off, and then applying a dermatologist-recommended moisturizer."
Stop using expired products
Dermatologist DiAnne Davis says that products past their expiration date should not be used .
"Those products are no longer effective and, depending on the active ingredients, can cause skin irritation after they expire," he says. "If the product doesn't have an expiration date, I recommend changing it every season."
stop sleeping on your side
"Sleeping on your side is bad for your skin because it worsens chest wrinkles and increases wrinkles on the face and neck, " says dermatologist Luigi Polla, founder of the Forever Institute and Alchimie Forever . " I can tell how a patient sleeps by looking at the wrinkles on his face, because they are deeper at the edge of the bed."
stop blacking out
Dermatologist Hadley King says it's surprising that patients think it's okay to tan as long as they wear sunscreen.
"There's no such thing as a healthy tan," she says. "This is a protective mechanism that occurs when the DNA of skin cells is damaged by UV rays, which increases the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging."
Do not try to treat moles at home
"I have patients with spots and scars on their skin that I use home remedies to get rid of them and other growths," says dermatologist Brian Hibler . “This treatment usually involves chemical burns of the skin to remove growths and can cause scarring and infection. Also, if it's skin cancer, the patient may not get rid of all the cancer cells, and the cancer may come back or continue to grow under the skin, with the risk of spreading."
Stop skipping the sunscreen
"One of the most dangerous habits I hear from my patients is wearing sunscreen on a cloudy day," says dermatologist Reid Maclellan , founder and CEO of Cortina and an adjunct professor at Harvard Medical School. Sunscreens should be applied every day, rain or shine , because exposure to UV rays can cause sun damage and skin cancer.
Dermatologist Rebecca Marcus , founder of Maei MD , finds another pleasure in sun protection. "Combination makeup and sunscreen products usually don't provide enough sun protection," she says. "To get the full SPF effect on the label, you need to use a much larger amount of product than you would use for regular makeup. So it's best to separate your makeup and sunscreen, or use a tinted sunscreen." .
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.