Overusing Lotions, Creams May Cause Skin Damage
BOSTON (CBS) - Walk into any drug store or department store and you will see dozens of shelves packed with all kinds of lotions and creams. For a lot of women, it's hard to resist those products promising all kinds of quick fixes for wrinkles, redness, age spots and dark circles.
The problem is some women, like Angel Valences, go overboard. She couldn't help stocking her bathroom with all kinds of products and making them all part of her skin care routine. "I just figured I was doing the best thing for myself and I was harming myself," she said. The more products Angel used to try to correct redness and breakouts, the worse her skin got.
"There's really two problems. One is using inappropriate products and the other, which is more common, is using the correct product, but using it the wrong way," explained a New York dermatologist. Valences was overusing a variety of products that ended up irritating her skin. She was also damaging her skin by using a rotating cleansing brush too often. "If you have scratches in the skin, it leads to irritation and inflammation which can clog pores," another dermatologist said.
Many dermatologists say they regularly see patients who believe using more of a product will help them get better results, but that can backfire. One patient used too much moisturizer and it caused the pores under her eye to clog, creating unsightly bumps.
Experts say always use products according to directions and if anything causes redness, tingling or other skin irritations, stop using it immediately.
