You spend a lot of time thinking about your skin and you want to know how to better take care of it. So you read labels, you search out products with high SPF factors, you subscribe to beauty magazines and spend time online. You may even spend time talking to your dermatologist, but you may still fall prey to some common skincare myths. Here are six things you may not have known about your skin.

Chocolate does not cause breakouts. But milk on the other hand...

The rumor usually starts in junior high, when you would be willing to offer up your firstborn child for the assurance that you won’t have another breakout. The fact of the matter is that there is no link between chocolate (or, for that matter, other greasy foods like pizza or anything deep fried) and acne. It’s not the grease or oil in a food that clogs the pore and starts a blemish – it’s skin cells and bacteria that lodge themselves in the gland. OK, maybe you knew that one, but it is thought that hormones and other bioactive molecules in milk and other dairy products may stimulate your glands to produce more oils and accelerate the blemish creation process. If you’re experiencing problems with breakouts, try cutting down (not eliminating) your dairy intake and see if your skin responds.

If your antiperspirant isn’t working, try applying it at night

If excessive perspiration is an issue, a nighttime application of antiperspirant can help. Your antiperspirant works by forming plugs in your sweat ducts. By applying an antiperspirant at night when your body core temperature is lower, those plugs can stay in place longer. You can re-apply the antiperspirant in the morning as well. If the issue persists, Botox injections in your underarms may be another possible solution. They can eliminate sweating altogether for up to nine months. Ask your dermatologist to be sure.

Even flat moles can be cancerous

When it comes to skin lesions or moles, you can never be too careful. Many people will have a dermatologist check out raised moles, but will ignore the flat ones. Regardless of whether or not a mole is raised, be sure to monitor it and ask your dermatologist to examine it if there are any changes. If a mole is asymmetrical, has an irregular border, an irregular color or a diameter larger than a pencil eraser.

Apply acne medication to the entire face

Even if you only have a few noticeable blemishes, be sure to apply your acne medication to your entire face, not just the problem areas. Most acne medications target the bacteria that cause acne, so they are actually more effective at fighting future breakouts than they are at drying up current ones. If breakouts are causing you distress (or to stress), try applying a thin layer of your acne medication to your entire face each night before sleep.

Cuts heal faster when covered

Most of us will cover a cut when it first happens, but after a few days, we remove the bandage to allow our skin to breath and the wound to dry out. Studies have shown that it’s best to leave that bandage in place. Applying an antibiotic ointment will also help.

Vitamin E actually slows the healing process

This is completely contrary to what most of us believe about vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, so it does help prevent future damage to the skin, but it does not aid in the healing process. In fact, studies have shown that it actually slows it down.

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