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One of the biggest struggles when transitioning between seasons is the effect it has on our skin. As we enter the fall, and soon enough the winter, we tapped into the mind of The Red Door Salon & Spa‘s National Director of Esthetics Ann Balaguera to debunk six myths relating to the skin.

People with oily skin shouldn’t use face oils → FALSE

People with oily skin many times tend to over strip their natural oil by using products with harsh ingredients, which may cause the skin to become dry and sensitive. When the skin becomes dry from using harsh products, it sends a message to overproduce more sebum causing buildup. Using face oils can help to replenish the skin’s natural oil production keeping oil levels balanced. The best time to use a face oil is at night before going to bed. This way the skin can receive the healthy nutrients from the face oil without interfering with the morning makeup routine

Facials may cause breakouts → TRUE

Facials offer countless benefits to the skin such as cleaning up pores, increasing luminosity and firming and hydrating skin. Certain facials serve the purpose of detoxing the skin and these may lead to skin slightly breaking out post treatment. Some skin conditions, such as acne, are prone to get worse before they can get better. The key to preventing post facial breakouts is to perform the appropriate purifying steps post extractions to kill bacteria and calm inflammation.

Tanning clears up acne → FALSE

Tanning beds have not been scientifically proven to decrease acne, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. When skin becomes tan, it can create the illusion of decreasing acne by temporarily masking the redness associated with breakouts. In addition, many acne sufferers often use topical or oral medications to combat the breakout. These medications will leave the skin very sensitive to UV rays and result in burning or peeling skin. In this case the risk does not match the reward, as the use of tanning beds causes greater negative long term effects on the skin such as skin cancer.

Photo Credit: The Red Door Salon & Spa

A facial will fix my skin problems → FALSE

Facials can dramatically improve many skin conditions. Since skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation take years to form, one facial will not be enough to reverse the damage. They key to achieving the best results is to be consistent with a regular facial regimen and a regular at home regimen appropriate for skin type and condition. Skin care products that are used on a daily basis will make an impact in increasing the results of any facial.

Waxing facial hair stretches the skin, causing wrinkles → FALSE

There are many factors that cause the skin to wrinkle, but waxing is not one of them. When waxing is performed using the correct techniques (holding the skin taught before and after application), the risk of over stretching the skin is very minimal. Facial hair removal is not done daily, and therefore the skin is not being exposed to constant stretching. It is suggested to use hard wax for the delicate areas such as the face since it is gentle and does not adhere to the skin, only to the hair.

Sunscreen isn’t needed when its cloudy → FALSE

Clouds may block the sunlight, but they certainly do not block damaging UV rays. These rays are responsible for causing skin burns and sun damage, which may be in the forms of collagen and elastin depletion or skin cancer. Therefore, using sunscreen on a daily basis is a must regardless of the weather.

To learn more about The Red Door, check out their website here.