Skin
16 Sneaky Beauty Myths
Wondering whether your mom's mom was right about all those old wives tales on facial skin care?
We've got the facts straight on everything from wrinkles to acne, but do you? See if you can separate these myths from reality.
Question 1 of 16
Pimples pop up overnight.
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The correct answer: False
You go to bed with skin clear as a newborn's and wake up with an angry red zit on your forehead -- but that pimple is no overnight star; it was actually days in the making.
"Sebum naturally migrates out of the follicle to the surface of the skin, but if there's a buildup of dead skin cells or you're using a product that's comedogenic, the process can be interrupted and the pore can eventually become blocked and infected," explains Brentwood, Calif.-based cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Jessica Wu, noting that most zits take about seven days to form.
Of course pores can be come more instantaneously blocked with a product that's not meant for the face, such as misdirected hairspray, warns Dr. Kenneth Beer, a dermatologist in Palm Beach, Fla. Pimples can also appear to pop up overnight pre-period, but this is due to a gradual increase in oil production that's the result of cyclical hormonal fluctuations.
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