WHEN it comes to skincare, there is lots of conflicting advice out there.
With the rise in social media sites like TikTok, anyone can pretend to be a skin guru.
GettyIf you want good skin you should never use towels to try your skin, or pop your spots[/caption]
This can make it hard to separate the fact from fiction.
Are expensive products really better than cheaper ones?
Are all sun creams as effective as one another?
Do I really need to cleanse my skin twice?
But there are some things all experts agree you must never do when it comes to your skin routine: never use a towel to dry your face and never pop spots for example.
Fatma Gunduz, an aesthetic therapist from Skin and Sanctuary, explained why towel drying and pimple popping are cardinal sins when it comes to your face.
NEVER use a towel to dry your face
Towels are great a harbouring bacteria.
In fact, one study, found nearly 90 per cent of bathroom towels were contaminated with coliform bacteria and about 14 per cent carried E. coli.
Both bugs can make you very sick – and in some cases E.coli can kill.
“These bugs can transfer to your skin and potentially cause breakouts or infections,” Fatma told The Sun.
Many towels have a rough texture, which the expert said can actually damage the skin.
“Rubbing vigorously with one of those could even cause micro-tears in the skin and so long-term damage,” she added.
Towels by their very nature are absorbent.
That means they can also absorb the natural oils on your skin which can lead to dryness, she explained.
“Instead, consider gently patting your face dry with a clean, soft towel or using microfiber towels.
“You can also try facial cloths that are designed to be more gentle,” she said.
Fatma explained the very the best option is to let your face dry naturally – weather depending, of course.
NEVER pop your spots
If you are prone to getting spots, you know how tempting it can be to pop them.
Now, you probably don’t need to be told this, but it’s always good to hear it from an expert.
“Squeezing or popping your spots is a route to causing more harm than good to your skin,” Fatma said.
Trying to pop a pimple can introduce bacteria from your hands or nails into the pimple, increasing the risk of infection, she said.
On top of that squeezing can “damage the surrounding skin, leading to scarring or inflammation,” she said.
“It can spread the infection to neighbouring pores, causing more pimples to develop or lead to a larger breakout,” she added.
Instead of going ham on your spots, Fatma recommended following a “consistent, barrier friendly” skincare routine.
“This includes the use of acne-fighting ingredients such as salicylic or benzol peroxide,” she explained.
“But, if you really feel like you cannot wait then before popping the spot using your germ ridden fingers, try an over the counter spot treatment gel or zit sticker – anything to help take the urge away.” she added.