Ever thought that layering your sunscreen products buys you more time in the sun or that black heads are dirt stuck in your pores? The team at DIV set the records straight by busting three more popular beauty myths.
1. Blackheads are a buildup of dirt in the pores
Dermatologist: Assoc Prof Greg Goodman.
False
Despite sometimes looking like little grains of dirt, blackheads are not caused by dirt on the skin. They are actually a build-up of oil and sloughed-off skin cells that become trapped in the follicle on the way to the skin’s surface. This plug of dead cells and oil is called a comedone, another type of comedone is a whitehead. Blackheads get their colour because this plug contains dislodged melanin which are the cells that give our skin colour.
If you're prone to getting blackheads, Hydrafacial, YAG laser, skin needling or light skin peels can help to clear congestion and reduce the appearance of pores.
2. Putting on two different SPFs add up to a higher sun protection
Dermatologist: Dr Katherine Armour
False
If you wear two products that are both SPF (say a tinted moisturiser SPF15 and a sunscreen SPF 30), the SPF does not add up to give you a higher sun protection factor.
Our advice is to always go for a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a 30 or higher SPF for the best protection.
3. Laser hair removal is an effective long term solution for all facial hair
Dermatologist: Assoc Prof Greg Goodman
False
Often facial hair in women can be treated successfully by laser, and at DIV we use a duet laser that actively targets dark hair and destroys it at the bulb.
However some facial hair in women can’t be treated such as if the hair has no pigment; blonde, grey or red hair simply can’t be treated with lasers. Another reason is a condition called hirsutism, which is an excessive growth of coarse hair in a greater distribution more like what a male might experience. For some women this is simply genetic and their blood hormone levels are completely normal. Other women may have elevated androgens such as testosterone circulating in their blood causing their increased hair growth, in which case medication may be required. While laser hair removal can still be successful in reducing the amount of hair, it takes many more sessions with a lower percentage reduction rate.
We encourage women experiencing excess hair that is more than a minor cosmetic nuisance to seek medical advice from their doctor to exclude an underlying hormonal problem.
Before we treat a patient, we review the hair to look for the tell-tale signs of hirsutism, or if it is just some annoying fluff that we can easily zap for a great result.