Shave your face? (yes/no)

Hi {NAME}, Wow! I didn’t expect my last email to get SO many responses! I wrote to you Monday about some big ‘beauty myths’ I hear about a lot… and asked you to write in with some myths YOU’VE heard and have been wondering about. By the end of the day, I had over a thousand replies! At first, I didn’t know where to start. Every question was so great, I wanted to answer them all! But then I started seeing some common themes popping up — and thought it would be great to put the most frequently-asked questions right here in a “Part 2” of my mythbusting email… This time, with questions right from real BHMD users. Let’s dive right in! “Vaseline... is it good under the eyes? Or all over the face? Thanks” -Carla K. Short answer: Only as a last resort, if there’s nothing else available. Vaseline is an old trick from before scientists were putting much effort into great skincare. After all, totally dry skin is ultra-prone to creasing, so Vaseline (or any brand of petroleum jelly) will technically do the trick to lubricate skin in a pinch. However — that thick, sticky texture may also trap any bacteria that’s stuck in your pores (so you might be risking blemishes and pore enlargement). And, it certainly doesn’t have age-fighting active ingredients you need to see real wrinkle-busting results. If you find yourself stuck without a good skincare product for the night, you’re better off heading to the kitchen for a little avocado oil or olive oil to tide you over ‘til morning. But my BEST advice? Stick with real, high-quality skincare products for everyday use… and keep extras in your purse and travel bag so you’re never caught in a bind! “I once had an 80-some-year-old friend who had the softest skin on her face I'd ever seen. When I asked her secret, she said she used witch hazel on it everyday for most of her life. Does that really work?” -Loni D. Wow, this is a very interesting case. Here’s why: Witch hazel itself — meaning the plant — can be a soothing astringent that helps keep skin clean and balanced. However, most preparations of witch hazel (like those big bottles you see in the drugstore) are mostly isopropyl alcohol… which is incredibly drying to skin. (The alcohol you find in some skincare products is a different type, in tiny amounts — to keep products stable. Isopropyl alcohol, on the other hand, is REALLY harsh!) So, your friend was either using a pure extract of the witch hazel plant (diluted in water or a moisturizer)… or, she was very lucky! A small percentage of people simply have amazing genes, and can get away with big “skincare no-no’s” that most of us can’t. “Was wondering what you think about women shaving their faces??” -Katie D. This is a REALLY important ‘myth-busting’ question. I hear it a lot for TWO reasons: #1) There’s a trend called facial planing, which involves running a razor along your face as an exfoliation technique (and yes, it works). #2) Many women experience facial hair growth as they get older — and shaving seems like a quick and easy solution. But will it make your hair grow in thicker, as the tale goes? Here’s the full truth: Shaving won’t actually make your hair grow in thicker… However, hair is tapered. So when you shave it, you’re shaving off the thinnest part — leaving a thick, blunt end that can look and feel “stubbly.” Now, if you have naturally light, fine hair, you may not even notice this. However, if you have dark, coarse hair, this may really make the problem stand out. The best solution for deep exfoliation is a daily at-home peel. (I always recommend our [Resurface + Restore Youth Revealing System]( as a go-to for anyone with signs of aging — it uses gentle encapsulated retinol to really help skin glow). If you’re concerned about facial hair growth, consider laser treatments or gentle waxing. Most importantly though, if you’re a woman who’s noticing a sudden increase in facial hair growth, mention it to your doctor to make sure there’s no medical culprit. Your health is always priority #1! Just yesterday I heard if you use preparationH for your crow’s feet they will disappear? I'm thinking that is too harsh a product to use near your eye and anywhere on your face. -Linda Linda, you thought right!! On the surface, this “trick” for shrinking under-eye bags makes sense. Hemorrhoid creams do shrink blood vessels and reduce swelling. (It actually wouldn’t help with crow’s feet — sorry!) But regardless, you should never put anything near your eyes that isn’t specifically designed to go there. Under-eye skin is so fragile, you could accidentally make things a whole lot worse with the wrong “DIY trick.” Definitely stick with a great product made for your eyes to keep puffiness and darkness at bay. Anything else is a risk NOT worth taking! Okay, that’s all for now… But definitely write back and let me know if this type of email is helpful for you! I love hearing from you, and I really enjoy knowing I’m answering your most pressing questions. After all, this newsletter is all about helping you get your best possible ‘look younger’ results… so whenever I can help, just hit ‘reply’ and let me know! I’m all ears! :) Your Beverly Hills MD, Dr. John Layke     This email was sent to {EMAIL} by jlayke@beverlyhills-md.com Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group 436 N. Bedford Dr. Suite 308 Beverly Hills, CA 90210  [Edit Profile]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Report Spam]( Â