The facts and fictions of moisturizing
Myth: External medicines can function both as skin treatment and moisturizer.
Fact: Medical lotion and cream usually contain an auxiliary component of infiltration, which will open the stratum corneum of the skin and help the medicine to penetrate. But the component is likely to damage the natural barrier of the skin, resulting in the loss of moisture, while a moisturizer is designed to protect the skin barrier and prevent the loss of moisture.
Myth: "Natural" products are always better.
Fact: In the United States, the use of the term "natural" is not federally regulated. A natural extract is not synonymous with a single, simple ingredient, but more often a mixture of a complicated variety of components. Therefore, there will be a distinct possibility of composition changes (of the effectiveness of the components) varying with suppliers or extraction procedures. Blueberry, for example, is natural enough, isn't it? But blueberry naturally contains sodium benzoate (a widely used preservative "chemical" in medicine, cosmetics and food). In fact, any talk of potential safety concerns of a given ingredient without taking account of its concentration in product is nonsense.
Myth: Common and old-fashioned components are less effective.
Fact: Old-fashioned ingredients are not only effective but also safe, taking glycerol and petroleum jelly as examples. New ingredients may be more effective, but it usually takes dermatologists lots of clinical trials and data to prove their safety and efficacy before application.
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