Anti-aging prevention is one thing, but trying to reverse signs of aging with a product is another story. People who already have fine lines and wrinkles will see minimal improvement (about 2-5 percent), by using over-the-counter anti-aging products, says Lancer, and will only see a drastic improvement in their lines and wrinkles via a surgical procedure or by using a prescription for something like a retinoic acid.
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Body firming products
You know those dimply, giggle-prone places on your body that like 99.9 percent of all women have? There are currently no products on the market that alone can make those places firmer and less cellulitic, Lancer says. Sorry to break it to you, but we have to reiterate that watching your carbohydrate intake and working out regularly is still the only natural way to get a firmer bod (but you can fake a toned body with these tips until your gym visits pay off). As for all those body firming products that you already bought? "I hope you can get a refund," he adds.
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Sunscreen over an SPF 30
When you use an SPF 15, about 95 percent of UVA/UVB rays are blocked, which is pretty good, and with an SPF 30, closer to 100 percent of UV rays are shielded, says Lancer. So what's up with SPF 31-100 then? It's similar to speedometers that go up to 200 mph in a car, he says. You're never going to be able to go that fast — well, without getting a serious speeding ticket anyway. So basically, SPFs over 30 are a bit superfluous. And all sunscreens must be reapplied after swimming or sweating anyway, so you should be fine with an SPF 15 or 30. See other sunscreen mistakes you might be making.
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Facial Masks
While facial masks are fun to do during an at-home beauty night to de-stress while you're taking a bath, Lancer says that, like serums, masks are really only necessary to use after facial procedures to soothe sensitive skin, and so they're considered a "fluffy" skin care product. Not one that needs to be used regularly.
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We live in the infomercial era. As vulnerable consumers, we are lead to believe that something is wrong with us if we don't resemble a celebrity or supermodel, but that there is something we can buy to fix whatever is "wrong" with us. And worldwide, there are probably over 10,000 skin care companies trying to convince us that we need a different cream for each body part — from our pinky toes to our upper lip. But hey, we're not saying these skin care products are total hogwash and that you should stop using them stat, we're just saying that less really is more, and if you want to keep it simple, you can by ditching superfluous products and just using a few key items.
We gave dermatologist Dr. Harold Lancer a ring to help us figure out which skin care products (general product types, not necessarily specific products) for our face or body are totally unnecessary. With so many gimmicky things out there, we should at least be able to knock a few off our list, right?
Other than just buying and using his entire line (kidding), Lancer says that what most people really need is a good face and body wash and moisturizing sunblock — that's it. In fact, he says that the method of how you use a skin care product is actually more important than the actual product.
