The Myths and Truths of Pinterest Skin Care Tips

If you’re on Pinterest, you’ve probably seen or re-pinned some skin care advice. But how do you know where these claims are coming from? How do you know they are legitimate? The short answer is…you don’t. Here are a few common skin care pins.

CLAIM: Heal acne scars with a scrub made of honey and carrot seed oil.

FALSE

This pin is on my myths board. Honey is a natural antiseptic, but it won’t heal scars. As pointed out in my blog post, scars are the result of a change in the skin, so they’re not easily camouflaged with home scrubs like this one.

CLAIM: Sleep on your back to help prevent wrinkles.

TRUE

Sleeping on your stomach or side can be damaging to your posture. Also, when you spend an entire night with your face buried into a pillow, you may be “pressing in” wrinkles and crevices. Sleeping on your back can also help prevent fluid buildup in your facial tissue, kicking that “puffy morning look” to the curb.

CLAIM: Mix coffee grounds, raw sugar or sea salt and massage oil to use in the shower! The scrub can help redistribute fat cells and decrease cellulite formation. It will also shrink blood vessels and reduce varicose veins.

TRUE…mostly

Nothing will cure cellulite, but caffeine and mud can take the swelling out of skin and constrict blood vessels - which decreases the appearance of lumpiness and gives the skin surface a smoother appearance when the light hits it.

CLAIM: Boil olive oil and honey, cool and comb through your hair. This is supposed to work like an at-home oil treatment and help your hair grow faster and make it super smooth.

FALSE

The truth is that the massaging motion you use to get the oil into your hair is stimulating blood flow to the scalp, which can help your hair grow. Washing your hair with regular shampoo can do the same thing. The olive oil will help moisturize your hair, but it won’t do much for growth on its own.

CLAIM: Make your own natural makeup at home using ingredients like beets, arrowroot and coconut oil.

FALSE

The at-home recipes in this pin won't work long-term, as the makeup won't hold its color. The best bet, if you're trying to go all natural, is to go for mineral agents with natural pigment. You can also go beyond the drug store brands and try something like Youngblood Cosmetics, which we sell at the ADSCA medi spa.

CLAIM: Use warm mustard oil to massage your feet and legs twice a day until spider veins are healed.

FALSE

The mustard oil has a yellow color to it that may camouflage spider veins...but it won't get rid of them. It's not really any different than using makeup to cover a pimple and thinking it's been healed.

CLAIM: Mix baking soda with your favorite cleanser. Exfoliate several minutes for soft skin!

TRUE

Baking soda doesn't really do anything spectacular on its own, but it does create a gritty substance that can help scrub dead skin cells off. It's an easy household product to use if you’re out of your regular scrub.

Got any more questions about pins you’ve seen? Comment here or on Facebook. For more great skin care advice, follow us on Pinterest!