We live in a time of overconsumption, with shelves burdened by skincare brands that compete for our attention and dollar. The illusion of knowledge has been defining our relationship with skincare. Easily vulnerable to misinformation, the latest trends, and crafty packaging, we are constantly juggling conflicting information about what we should look for in skincare products while subjecting our skin to harmful experiments.

Eager to stand out, or maybe to fit in, we compromise our skin’s health and youthfulness with skin care practices that deviate from the fundamentals of the skin’s biological functions and structure. Skin hygiene has been replaced by skin-disruptive products, painful procedures, and pointless routines.

Evolving convinced that our skin is inadequate, we continue to perpetuate misinformation about the structure and functions of the skin. As such, anecdotal narratives need to be addressed so we can once more embrace skin hygiene and allow the skin to perform its functions.

However, before we start discussing some of the most common skin care misconceptions, it is important to remember that humans are holobionts (hosts to a collection of different species of organisms) and that our skin is a metabolically active organ that functions as part of a system and not independently. The main objective of skin hygiene is to maintain the skin’s structure and cleanliness without stripping the skin barrier of its protective proteins and lipids, affecting the skin’s microbiota and pH.

1. Skincare products absorb through the pores.

FALSE. The pores are a one-way canal. Sebum and sweat are secreted through the pores.

2. Pores open and close.

FALSE. Pores are not like muscles, contracting and relaxing. However, pores can become more visible, but their function remains unchanged. Various factors are responsible for the way pores look: genetic inheritance, skin health, hormonal health, skin care practices and products.

• Temperatures have an effect on pore visibility through the temperature’s impact on blood vessels.
• Skin swelling/ trauma has an effect on pore visibility, making them less visible.
• A loss of collagen and elastine in the skin affects the appearance of the pores, making them more visible.
• Oxidized sebum affects the appearance of the pores, making them more visible.

3. Chemical or mechanical skin exfoliation is necessary for skincare products to absorb better and to hydrate the skin.

FALSE. Skincare products should neither break nor cross the skin barrier. Skin hydration is maintained by an intact skin barrier which is capable of holding the moisture directed from the cellular level. Mature corneocytes, commonly referred to as dead skin cells, together with sebum and epidermal lipids, NMF, and microbes form the skin barrier which regulates the amount of hydration needed by the skin.

4. Dead skin cells are devoid of biological activity and function and need to be removed to reveal your new, smooth skin underneath. Otherwise, dead skin cells will clog your pores.

FALSE. The visible top layer of human skin is made of so-called dead skin cells, correctly termed corneocytes. Before senescence, corneocytes are keratinocytes or living skin cells. As keratinocytes become corneocytes, the mature corneocytes are released from the surface of the skin through its own mechanism of exfoliation. Mature corneocytes bond with NMF, lipids, and microbes to form the skin barrier. The more mature corneocytes the epidermis has, the more moisture it can retain.

5. Sebum and epidermal lipids should be removed through twice daily cleansing of the skin to prevent acne.
FALSE. Sebaceous and epidermal lipids are destined for and vital components of the outermost layer of the skin so that the skin's structure and functions unfold correctly. Sebaceous and epidermal lipids, bacteria, NMF, and corneocytes form the skin barrier which maintains the skin supple, hydrated, healthy and youthful. They should never be stripped off the surface of the skin. Although sebaceous and epidermal lipids imbalances can contribute to acne in some individuals, excessive cleansing and stripping of these components will only further exacerbate the imbalance. Identifying the root cause of a sebaceous and epidermal lipids imbalance is a wise first step to implementing a correct solution.

 

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