Health and wellness has taken the front seat of major conversations these past few years, especially since the start of the pandemic. Although most of the discussions revolve around internal health, there has also been a lot of emphasis on skin. A National Institute of Health dermatologist, Dr. Heidi Kong, states that having healthy skin helps in protecting you from bacteria and other possible environmental hazards that can be dangerous to human health. While common skincare conversations such as finding solutions to acne are still as relevant as ever, we have also come a long way when it comes to dermatology development.
This year, skin care routines will take on a simpler and more minimalist approach. Gone are the days when skin care routines followed so many steps and when too much time was spent on applying several layers of make-up. More people are starting to realize that using too many products on their skin does more harm than good, and that for more effective results, simply keeping your skin hydrated and protected goes a long way. In fact, surveys show that 28% of women have reduced the number of products they use on their skin, and 54% of Millennials are more likely to simplify their routines. What’s important when it comes to taking care of your skin is not to use as many products as possible but to find the few ones that suit your skin perfectly.
We all know that hygiene is an important element of skincare, which is why it is always advised that you regularly clean your face as well as your make-up applicator. Today, cleanliness is also applied to the ingredients that your skincare products contain. The concept “clean beauty,” which is shaping the skincare trend these days, refers to the use of products that are free from hormone disruptors and carcinogens. A San Antonio Dermatologist cautions against some ingredients found in sunscreens today, such as oxybenzone and avobenzone, as these are not only ineffective in protecting you from the sun but are also linked with certain types of cancer. Using cleaner ingredients, studies found, is a significant step in keeping your skin safe from environmental factors without compromising your health in the long run.
It has been a long-accepted fact that keeping your skin protected from harmful UV rays is important. However, a recent study by the American Academy of Dermatology shows that while people feel confident that they keep themselves adequately protected from the sun, they are also more likely to believe misconceptions about sun protection. For example, 67% of the study’s respondents believed that SPF 30 sunscreen offers twice as much protection as SPF 15 sunscreen. This is incorrect, as a sunscreen’s SPF actually refers to the amount of UVB light it can filter out. SPF 15 sunscreen can filter out 93% of the sun’s UVB rays, while SPF 30 sunscreen filters out 97% of the sun’s UVB rays. These recent findings illustrate the need to keep the public informed as to how they can correctly protect themselves from the damaging effects of UVB rays.
It is interesting to note that as time progresses, skin care trends center on simplification as well as being more informed about what goes onto your skin. These are positive developments that highlight the importance of science as well as consumer knowledge when it comes to taking care of our skin