Stop Making These Body Care & Hair Removal Mistakes

Dr. Shereene Idris, dermatologist, advises:

Summer skin

After an interesting choice of intro spiel (we have never before encountered a dermatologist so unhappy to see people’s skin), the mistakes she advises us to avoid are:

1. At-home hair reduction: the person who gets paid if people go into her clinic (so, slight conflict of interests there) advises us to avoid at-home devices, as IPL is less precise than laser and thus for some people may raise burn risk.
2. Harsh exfoliation for rough bumps: aggressive scrubbing can worsen keratosis pilaris by inflaming your skin barrier rather than clearing plugged follicles, so she instead recommends chemical exfoliants like glycolic or lactic acid, moisturizers with urea, retinoids, or hair removal approaches that reduce follicle reactivity.
3. Overlooking body acne triggers: back, chest, and butt acne often worsen with sweat, friction, tight clothing, hair product residue, and heavy lotions, so she recommends to wash your body after hair care, shower soon after sweating, change out of workout clothes quickly, and if necessary, use targeted treatments like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid rather than relying only on standard body wash.
4. Poor towel hygiene: reusing damp towels too long can encourage bacterial or fungal overgrowth that can worsen skin issues, so it’s advisable to change body towels at least once every few uses, and enjoy fresh face towels daily.
5. Sun protection over-optimism: sunscreen works best when applied strategically to exposed areas based on clothing and activities, including oft-missed spots like your ears, scalp, feet, hands, nose edges, and neck; daily morning application may be enough for mostly indoor days, but day-long outdoor exposure calls for reapplication plus added protection like hats, visors, sunglasses, and so forth.

For more on all of this, enjoy:

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Take care!