Sunscreen can cause acne breakouts. This myth is not entirely true! Facial sunscreens that are labeled for facial use only, noncomedogenic (meaning won’t cause breakouts) and/or designed for acne-prone skin are safe for daily facial use and won’t cause breakouts. With that being said, in individuals with acne-prone, oily skin it is important to test the facial sunscreen on a small area on the face prior to full facial application to evaluate for skin irritation and acne breakouts. Facial sunscreens containing ingredients, zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide, are safe for facial use, especially in those with acne-prone skin.
Darker skin individuals do not need to wear daily sunscreen. Skin of color individuals are at risk for skin cancer despite higher concentration of melanin in the skin. We are exposed to the sun’s rays on a daily basis and no matter how minimal the exposure is and the skin color, sunscreen use is essential.
Drinking water helps acne breakouts. Though drinking water and staying hydrating is overall important for maintaining skin moisture and a healthy skin pH, there are no known studies directly linking drinking water with improvement in acne.
Natural, botanical ingredients are safer to use on your skin. As a dermatologist, I recommend against products containing numerous botanical ingredients and fragrance as this may be irritating and trigger a skin rash, itching and peeling.
On a cloudy day, you can skip the sunscreen. Believe it or not you can get a sunburn and extensive sun exposure on even those cloudy overcast days. So don’t skimp on the sunscreen even when its a cloudy day!
Filler is irreversible and permanent. Many patients come to me concerned that filler injectables contain an ingredient that is “permanent”. Most fillers last on average 6-9 months and most types of filler can be broken down an ingredient called hyaluronidase.