There are statements that do not have any scientific evidence, but from being repeated so much, they gain strength and end up seeming true that are even used as marketing claims. But you don’t have to be innocent, nor does your hair get damaged by washing it, nor does sweat lose weight, nor do you have to drink three liters of water a day to hydrate the skin. With the help of experts in cosmetics, skin, hair and fitness we shed a little light on some myths.
FUR
1.- Washing your hair daily spoils it. “Not necessarily, although it is recommended that we use a daily use shampoo with less detergency, whenever our hair requires it, so as not to dry it out,” says Cristina Carvajal, chemical engineer and author of the blog http://www.cosmeticosaldesnudo.com . What does spoil it is using a hair dryer or other utensils that apply heat on a daily basis.
2.- Silicone shampoos are harmful.
False. The silicone adds shine and helps to comb and moisturize the hair. “You just have to be careful to use a silicone-free shampoo once a week or every 15 days to avoid build up (the accumulation of product in the hair),” Cristina recommends. 3.- If you pull out a gray hair, more will come out. “More than a reality, it is an optical effect”, says Daniele Sigigliano, creative director of Blow Dry Bar Madrid (www.blowdrybar.es). It is important to keep in mind that each hair is born from a single follicle. Therefore, if you pull out a gray hair or it falls out, it can only be replaced by a hair that will be born from the same follicle and not from others that are around. 4.-Split ends can be repaired.
False. Once they have been opened it is impossible, “they are broken, they cannot be repaired or closed because the hair cuticle is already damaged”, explains Daniele. The best treatment? Cut the ends regularly to keep the mane healthy.
5.- The shampoos that make more foam clean better. False. The amount of foam depends on the amount of sulfates. “Manufacturers sometimes seek, with the foam, to generate a pleasant sensory experience for the customer, but that does not mean better quality or greater cleanliness,” says Daniele. 6.- You have to change the shampoo because the hair gets used to it. False. “Hair is made of keratin, it doesn’t regenerate like skin, so it can’t get used to anything,” explains Daniele. If you notice that your shampoo or conditioner no longer has an effect, it may be because your hair has changed and is, for example, drier due to external agents, coloration, the time of year…
7.- Brushing the hair 100 times a day beautifies it. False. “Daily brushing neither distributes shine nor helps the circulation of the scalp. On the contrary, it weakens it and causes friction”, says Daniele who recommends untangling it, after washing, with a thick bristle comb and, when dry, brushing it gently.
FUR
8.- ‘Natural’ or herbal creams produce fewer allergies.
“Usually it’s the other way around. The cosmetics of well-known houses that we buy in pharmacies or department stores usually invest more in studies to obtain hypoallergenic products. In this case, ‘natural’ is overrated”, says Ricardo Ruiz, dermatologist, director of the International Dermatological Clinic (www.clinicadermatologicainternacional.com) and author of the book ‘Antiaging. How to keep your skin younger’ (Rocaeditorial), where he talks honestly about creams, rejuvenation techniques, diets… 9.- There are creams that improve stretch marks. “The only product that has proven its effectiveness against stretch marks is retinoic acid, since it is capable of generating new collagen, which is what a stretch mark needs to improve,” explains Dr. Ruiz. In fact, states that anti-stretch mark creams currently sold have not been shown to provide more benefit than a regular moisturizer. 10.- Anti-cellulite and reducers work.
“99% of women have cellulite and, unfortunately, there is no cosmetic that improves it. Nor has it been shown that a cream is capable of reducing fat”, says Riardo Ruiz.
11.- Creams eliminate wrinkles or sagging. “I want to make it clear that cosmetic creams are not going to remove a wrinkle, nor are they going to improve flaccidity or firm up the skin,” says Dr. Ruiz, who acknowledges that “the use of certain cosmetics, the so-called cosmeceuticals (a hybrid between a cosmetic and a drug), can help achieve and maintain fresher, more luminous skin.” 12.- You have to drink a lot of water to have good skin. Proper hydration is essential for a healthy life. But we do not hydrate ourselves only with water but with other liquids and even with solids such as fruits or vegetables that have a large proportion of water. “That’s why drinking 3 liters of water a day is not good because we could be forcing the kidney to work excessively. Also,
13.- There are creams that reduce pores. False. The pores have the size they have, they cannot be modified. “But salicylic acid or clay masks will keep them clean and, at first glance, they will seem smaller,” says Cristina Carvajal.
14.- It is not necessary to apply the eye contour on the eyelids.
The author of the blog http://www.cosmeticosaldesnudo.com explains that the skin of the eyelids contains less lipids than the rest and, furthermore, we usually clean it less and with less aggressive products, so it requires less hydration, but it is still fur. “If we remove make-up often, we should also keep the eyelids hydrated,” she recommends.
FITNESS
15.- The more I sweat, the more I lose weight. What we want to lose to lose weight is adipose tissue and the weight lost through sweat is basically water and is recovered as soon as we rehydrate. That is why wanting to lose weight by sweating is not the most appropriate. “What’s more, by forcing sweating, you affect your proper state of hydration and endanger your health, but you don’t lose an ounce of fat,” warns Marta Rosado, personal trainer and creator of her Personal Method (www.personalbymartarosado.com) 16 .- Aerobic exercise is the most slimming.
“There are more and more studies that confirm that resistance training (weights, rubber bands, isometrics, Trx, body weight…) is more effective than aerobic exercise,” says Marta Rosado. Toned muscles increase basal metabolism, that is, the energy we spend when we are at rest. “And there’s even more, your muscles will continue to work 24 hours,” she adds. Although the balance between the two is ideal for healthy exercise. 17.- Sugar water removes ‘soreness’ “According to recent studies, muscle pain (“soreness”) that appears the day after exercising is not a product of lactic acid, but is caused by microruptures that occur they produce in the joints between muscles and tendons when making strong movements, to which we are not used to”, explains the personal trainer. For this reason, it is not useful to drink water with sugar. Marta recommends repeating the same exercise that she produced, but at a lower intensity: “A blackberry stain with another blackberry is removed.” 18.- Drinking water during exercise causes flatus.
The cause of flatus is not clear, although it may be due, among other reasons, to inadequate blood and oxygen flow to the respiratory muscles (diaphragm and intercostals). “It has not been proven that stopping drinking prevents flatus and what is known is that doing it during physical activity favors the balance and proper functioning of our body,” explains Marta Rosado. The recommendation: frequently and in small sips. 19.- The belly can only be lowered with sit-ups. If that is your goal, the first thing is to follow a balanced diet, then do aerobic exercise continuously and with moderate intensity. And only when you have lost the excess fat, it is time to work the muscles with abdominals. Not before, “because when there is fat in the subcutaneous tissue (which gives prominence to the area), doing sit-ups without aerobic work (which breaks down fat), the only thing it produces is more volume”, warns Marta Rosado. 20.- Weights masculinize the body of women.
False. Lifting weights helps to tone and shape muscles, but to develop prominent muscles you would need many hours of exercise and possibly supplements. Lifting weights helps lose weight and build muscle. “Replacing fat cells with muscle tissue does not make us lose weight, but the volume of our body decreases, we burn calories faster and we will have a well-toned body,” encourages the personal trainer.
Fuente: harpersbazaar.com
