MYTH: Facial exercises help reduce wrinkles and/or firm the skin

Wrinkles are lines of expression. They are formed by the constant animation of your face. Most of these facial exercise regimes encourage you to make faces that, I have to tell you, are just increasing the depth and premature appearance of lines on your face. Don’t rush your wrinkles!

For more MYTHS and ways to keep your skin looking its best, see:

• Aging is bad
• Soap is a good cleanser 
• 20 Ways To Keep Your Skin From Aging

Sugar & Skin Problems

For any of you reading this who know me or have come to my salons for facials, you also know that sugar as it relates to skin care is one of my favorite, if not my biggest, soapboxes to stand on. The reason sprang from my own experiences with sugar and skin problems in my 20s, coming to conclusions, then passing on the information I discovered through trial and error with my own sugar addiction.

I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that sugar causes skin problems (among other things). Its damage to our bodies is huge, and it continues to amaze me how few people are talking about it, although this is starting to change. Sugar is all-pervasive. It is in everything! It’s in obvious places as well as places you would never expect. I believe if you get rid of or at least reduce the amount of sugar in your diet, whether you can see, feel, or otherwise know it, your body will be better off.

Perhaps you’ve seen the evidence: when you eat sugary foods, your skin breaks out; when you eat less sugar, your skin clears up. When you know consciously that sugar is affecting your skin, you will undoubtedly curb your sugar intake. You will understand the consequences of your actions, and you will take pause before your hand goes to your mouth with that sweet delight. Now you choose and decide whether you want to take the chance and eat the sugar. There’s a saying that if you want to keep on getting what you’re getting, keep on doing what you’re doing. That just about says it all.

Some people are less sensitive to sugar. Men seem less sensitive than women; some women are more sensitive than others. But if you are one of the sensitive ones, watch out! If you continue to consume even small amounts of sugar on a regular basis you will no doubt have the telltale signs written all over your face.

Does it matter that many dermatologists say sugar, chocolate, or junk food doesn’t cause acne or problem skin? It doesn’t matter to me. And it doesn’t stop me from trudging ahead with what I believe to be true and with what I see in my clients’ and my own skin. Some of you may be getting away with eating sugar and having virtually no problems with your skin. But no doubt you are having unseen or unfelt problems due to this tasty toxin; you just haven’t been made aware of it—yet. There is nothing inherently good about eating sugar and sugary foods, symptoms or not.

Not everyone will have sensitivity to sugar that causes breakouts, but my experience with my own skin and hundreds of clients I have shared this information with is that cutting out sugar reduces or eliminates breakouts altogether. Experiment and see for yourself. Then you will know, and you can take responsibility for the state of your health. Then you won’t be puzzled by frequent breakouts that seem unexplainable. All breakout has a reason for coming about. It is up to you to determine what you are doing consistently that may be contributing to your skin problems.

For more information, see:

• Sugar in your precious Frappuccinos! 
• Helpful hints to lessen sugar intake 
• Hidden Sugar: Sugar in Unsuspected Places