We know about good skincare, right? We wear SPF, avoid picking at our faces, and drink lots and lots of water. But estheticians (who perform cosmetic treatments) and aestheticians (who perform medical procedures) often see their clients making skin blunders that cost them money and their complexion. From falling for every social media trend to forgetting to wash your face before bed, here are 11 things skincare experts never want to see their clients do.
Don’t Do Your Own Extractions
“Picking, popping, and lancing your skin without being properly trained can potentially make things worse. It can cause infection, bruising, and even scarring,” says Traci Vaughn, an aesthetician at Private Edition in Nashville. “Your aesthetician knows how to warm and prep the skin, glove and wrap her fingers correctly, and use the proper technique to remove blackheads, whiteheads, and milia.”
She warns that this can lead to pitted scars, broken capillaries, or dark spots. “I often tell my clients that most people don’t even notice when you have a blemish, but if you start picking at it, everyone will notice. Definitely leave it to the professionals.”
Don’t Smoke or Vape
Anti-smoking campaigns have consistently warned that smoking can cause wrinkles, particularly around your mouth. But Kayla Fisher, an aesthetician at Renew Dermatology in Homewood, AL, adds that vaping can be equally damaging to your skin. “Smoking or vaping will definitely age your skin prematurely in many different ways,” she tells us. “It is also detrimental to your general health!”
Don’t Forget to Wash Your Pillowcase
Unless you’re a perfect back sleeper, think about how much contact your pillowcase has with your face. Night after night, this item gets a lot of use, which is why it should be washed even more often than your sheets. “If you don’t change your pillowcase often, and especially if you forget to wash your face, your skin is just being subjected to dirt and bacteria night after night,” explains Kayla. “I keep several silk pillowcases on hand to change out every couple of days.”
Don’t Take Social Media Advice Too Literally
Everyone’s skincare selection is as unique as their face, and no routine is one size fits all. That’s why it’s important not to jump on every social media bandwagon you see as you scroll.
“Although skincare advice on social media may mean well, what works for one may not work for another and actually may cause harmful side effects,” says Kayla. “A licensed esthetician will know the risks, dangers, and ingredient benefits and help you set up a safe plan that gives you beautiful, glowing skin!”
Don’t Shave With a Tinkle Razor
On the topic of social media, a trend from a few years back seems to be resurfacing, and estheticians aren’t happy about it.
“I am seeing a lot of TikTok influencers shaving their faces with a tinkle razor,” says Stephanie Jones, a medical esthetician with Complexion Nashville. “It is doing way more harm than good for your skin. They drag on the skin, causing irritation, inflammation, and micro-tears. Seeing an esthetician you trust for dermaplaning once a month is the better option to keep your skin glowing and healthy!”
Don’t Try Home Microneedling
“Do not try at-home microneedling,” says Melissa Rhodes, NP-C, a certified aesthetic nurse specialist at Ona Skincare in Nashville. “The rollers can cause damage to the skin because of the way the needles enter and exit the skin at an angle. Also, there is no way to really sterilize the needles. In-office microneedling uses a single-use, one-time cartridge, and the needles are perpendicular to the skin to cause controlled injury. This results in collagen production and a reduction in pore appearance, fine lines, and scars.”
Don’t Buy Online Peels
Generally, it’s a good idea to avoid any at-home treatments beyond gentle masks. “If you buy a peel from online websites such as Amazon or a TikTok shop, you won’t know how that specific peel may be buffered or how it falls on the PH scale,” says Donna Piehl, an aesthetician with Woo Skincare and Cosmetics in Nashville. “You also won’t know how to neutralize that peel, which can damage the skin barrier and lead to burns or cause damage to the dermis and epidermis.”
Don’t Skip Your Neck and Chest
Mallory Hamilton, another aesthetician at Woo Skincare, is glad her clients remember to care for their faces. However, they often forget their neck and chest need the same care and attention. “Always take your skincare down to those areas because they are just as important,” she tells us. “Use your extra serum and moisturizer on these areas, and always apply sunscreen.”
Don’t Forget to Wash Your Face at Night
You’ve heard it before, but Britt Mim, MA, RN, an aesthetic nurse injector at Woods Aesthetics in Nashville, has a good reminder for everyone. “I would never go to bed with makeup on or without washing my face. Your skin repairs itself overnight, and it’s not going to do that effectively if it’s covered in makeup or dirty.” She adds, “Sleeping in makeup can clog your pores and cause breakouts. It’s a hard no.”
Don’t Neglect Sunscreen in the Winter
Wearing sunscreen every day is a rule, not a suggestion. “I would never skip sunscreen in the winter months or because it’s cloudy outside,” says Britt. “Just because it’s cold out doesn’t mean there’s no sun. UV rays can damage your skin and cause signs of premature aging any time of year.”
“UVB rays cause sunburn, and UVA rays age our skin,” adds Valerie Derrick, a medical aesthetician at Woods Aesthetics. “Regularly using sunscreen protects your skin from cancer, premature aging, and pigmentation.”
Don’t Over-exfoliate
There’s a reason the St. Ives apricot scrub stopped trending in the 90s — it was damaging skin more than improving it. “I would never over-exfoliate,” Britt says. “Aggressive exfoliation can damage your skin barrier and cause irritation and inflammation. Gently exfoliating a couple of times a week is plenty.”
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