The common perception of beauty is a symmetrical face with glowing, flawless skin. Over the years, we have all come to believe that a beauty regime depends on what we eat, what we drink, how much we drink, how long we sleep, quality of sleep, and more routine activities we perform involuntarily throughout the day. The bombardment of advertisements selling beauty products, magazines encouraging beauty treatments, and dishing out home remedies to every cosmetic issue adds to the growing confusion.
However, if one began to measure every little act, living would be a big math problem. All those magazines, websites, advertisements, and advice cannot be true. To put it simply, some work and some don’t. And you have to know which one works for you. So, here at Buzzle, we’ve listed down some beauty myths that you should not believe in for various reasons. Find out what these are to avoid the unnecessary trouble they might cause later in life.
Myth: Varicose Veins are caused by Crossing Legs.
Fact: We would do everything in our capacity to have those spotless toned legs. A hint of defacement, and we would be stuck with paranoia. So when someone tells you that sitting with cross legs can give you varicose veins, you would definitely do everything to avoid sitting that way. But did you know that the most common reason for varicose veins is standing for long hours and not sitting? As you stand for long hours, the vascular network needs to work extra to pump blood from your legs to the heart. At times, the valves that ensure blood flow from the vessels get flooded with blood, causing the veins to pop up. Genetic predisposition, pregnancy, injury to the affected area, obesity, and age, are some reasons for those unsightly veins. So ladies, do not forget your etiquette while sitting because you have nothing to worry about! So, if anything else, sitting with crossed legs is definitely not giving you these spider veins on your legs.
Myth: Pulling out gray hair causes more to appear in Mexico.
Fact: For some, graying occurs prematurely, and to a few, it happens later in life. Growing gray hair is a natural process that is bound to happen to all of us at some time or the other. Many believe that pulling out gray hair makes you grow two gray hair in the same spot. If this were true, wouldn’t baldness be cured by now? So, when you actually pull out a gray hair, a new one grows. Its color purely depends on whether you have a premature graying tendency or not.
Myth: Drinking water is good enough to hydrate your skin.
Fact: Drinking water does keep your body hydrated and healthy. It keeps your bodily functions in check and regularized. But that does not mean your skin is going to be hydrated. Skin requires some amount of oil, too, to maintain its glow and smooth surface. So keep those creams handy for topical application to replenish the lost moisture.
Myth: No Cream or Potion Can Erase Wrinkles.
Fact: With age, your body lessens the production of collagen and elastin, which keep your skin smooth. Thus, your skin begins to sag, diminishing its once youthful appearance. Most creams and lotions promise a smooth, wrinkle-free look only to improve the appearance of those lines on your skin. The effect of the wrinkle cream depends on the type of active ingredient in it. However, the fact remains that there is no magic potion for getting rid of those wrinkles. Accept them with grace, for they are signs of wisdom!
Myth: Shaving will make your hair grow back darker and thicker.
Fact: Razors have a bad reputation amongst women. Although many would agree that they are convenient, the popular belief is that shaving makes hair grow thicker. Hair growth is always wider at the root and thinner towards its tip. So, when a razor cuts the hair at the root, it cuts out the widest part. When the hair starts to grow back, the wider part grows, making it a bit coarser. The initial growth of the thicker shaft makes one feel as though the hair grows back thicker than normal. While getting a clean shave, a useful tip would be to go against the hair growth and get a closer shave.
Myth: Creams can get rid of stretch marks.
Fact: Several creams in the market promise you that they will erase your stretch marks. It is easy to believe in those advertisements, fall for their gimmicks and be terribly dismayed. Stretch marks result from skin expansion in a shorter time, for example, during pregnancy or a phase of rapid weight gain. This breaks down the elastin fibers and collagen, leaving marks on your skin. As stretch marks are formed below the top layer of the skin, most creams cannot reach there. Hence, the truth remains that stretch marks caused by weight loss or weight gain cannot generally be reversed.
Myth: Wearing nail polish all the time will make your nails turn yellow.
Fact: No. Wearing nail paint is not going to turn your nails permanently yellow. When you wear color on your nails for a long time, the porous nature of your nails quickly absorbs the pigment, leaving a stain on them. Also, your nails need oxygen to stay and grow healthy. Layering them with paint prevents them from getting any oxygen. Thus, they turn yellow. However, this is a temporary phenomenon.
Other Popularly Believed Beauty Myths:
Myth: Only lotions labeled as ‘night creams’ can be applied at night.
Fact: The difference between a daytime cream and the nighttime cream is that the former has some SPF, while the latter is devoid of one.
Myth: A few skincare products can work like Botox.
Fact: The only Botox can work like Botox. No skincare product can reach the targeted area and hence, cannot work like Botox injections.
Myth: Curling eyelashes with mascara on them can break them.
Fact: In fact, a layer of mascara on your lashes prevents any damage to the hair.
Myth: Your skin gets used to the products and eventually stops showing any results.
Fact: Your skin never adapts to any beauty product. In fact, the tingling sensation you feel when you first apply certain products, it your skin’s way of saying don’t do it.
Myth: 8 hours of sleep can help me lose weight.
Fact: While it is true that if you sleep for eight hours, you will not eat, it is also true that you will not burn calories. Additionally, if you eat unhealthy food after waking up, sleeping will not reverse the effect. Thus, sleeping for eight hours only refreshes you. The effects of beauty products are very temporary. They may last from a few hours to a few days, or just until you are using them. Much of your healthy skin can be attributed to components of your lifestyle, which are exercise, diet, sleep patterns, and healthcare. Your skin mirrors what happens inside your body and how well you treat it. Thus, to maintain the glow of a flawless complexion, pay attention to what’s happening with your body.
