Your skin care regimen is key to having healthy, radiant skin. But a skin care expert says there are some ingredients you need to avoid.
“You gotta pay attention to the ingredients. So important. Some ingredients can actually be very harmful to your skin. Even cancer causing," Dr. Pablo Prichard, a plastic surgeon and skin care expert, said.
Here's a list of ingredients to avoid:
1. Aluminum
“Everybody loves aluminum because it's an antiperspirant," he said.
Aluminum can be found in many things.
“Eye makeup as an antiperspirant to last longer. In sun blocks. People like that a lot because sweat proof. And then also in deodorants," Dr. Prichard said.
While it helps stop the sweat, aluminum is linked to certain types of skin cancers. He said to go for a mineral-based aluminum-free sunblock and aluminum-free deodorant. But keep in mind, some of those deodorants work better than others.
“That's why it's a little bit of a trial and error. Does it work for you and your body chemistry?” he said.
2. Parabens
“Parabens are some of the preservatives that people put in makeup to make it last longer. The problem with parabens is it gets absorbed into the body very quickly, and they mimic the molecule estrogen. That is a problem, especially for women," Dr. Prichard said. “It affects the endocrine reproductive cycle. They're also what's called 'endocrine disruptors.' And endocrine disruptors have been shown to potentiate breast cancer."
Instead, go for clean beauty products that are paraben and preservative-free.
“I stick in the fridge because if you cool it down, it actually lasts longer," he said.
3. Coconut oil (for your face)
“Everybody wants that dewy look, that moisturized, just beautiful glow," Dr. Prichard said.
But he said slathering coconut oil on your face to get that look isn't good for your skin.
“It's what we call a comedogenic compound. So it clogs the pores and can cause acne," he said.
He said it’s best to keep coconut oil just on your body, to get your skin moisturized. For your face, he recommends hyaluronic acid. He said it gives that same dewy glow, is hydrating, and doesn’t clog your pores.
