In our youth-obsessed society, most of us are on a constant quest to figure out the food, exercises and products that can help us look younger longer -- as well as extend our lives.
Here, we debunk five of the most widely believed aging myths, plus we tackle five more in the video above, so make sure to check it out.
1. Excessive Use Of Hair Products Causes Hair Loss
Piling on hair products can definitely make your hair brittle, gunky and unappealing for women to touch, but abusing products like gel, hairspray, mousse, and wax won't actually cause hair loss. The reason is that hair growth is dictated by your hair follicles and, given that hair products don't penetrate deeply into your scalp, they won't interfere with hair growth. For healthy-looking hair, however, we recommend using minimal amounts of any hair product to achieve your desired style.
2. Hair Loss Comes From Your Mother's Side
Whether or not you're destined to lose your hair does come down to a matter of genetics. The belief, however, that the gene for hair loss comes from your mother's side of the family is false. So, while the opportunity to embrace baldness is a hereditary trait, you should examine both sides of your family tree in order to get an idea of what might be in store for your locks as you age.
3. There's No Need For Sunscreen In The Winter
Even on cloudy days, UV radiation reaches the Earth's surface, meaning it can penetrate your skin, leading to premature aging. As such, there's more to worry about than summer skin care. In the battle to prevent skin cancer and the sun in general, it's therefore important to use an SPF 30 sunscreen on skin that is exposed to the elements every day, including those for which the forecast is rain.
4. Paler Skin Ages Faster
To date, doctors and scientists have found no rock-solid evidence that paler skin ages at a faster rate than darker skin. The darker your skin, however, the more melanin you have to protect your cells from sun damage, which ages skin. Additionally, because it tends to be on the drier side, fairer skin is more likely to show fine lines and wrinkles. If your skin is very pale, your master plan for remaining youthful-looking should include using moisturizer and sunscreen religiously and donning a hat that shields your face when you're out in the sun.
5. Moisturizing Products Reverse Skin Aging
While scientists are definitely on the case, there are presently no topically applied products available on the market that actually allow your skin cells to time-travel to the past. Rather, what the best moisturizers and serums do is increase your cell-turnover rate so that the upper layer of your epidermis looks fresher and, by extension, younger. Also, because moisturizers smooth and plump your skin, reducing dryness, fine lines on your face are less apparent to the naked eye. Furthermore, when sunscreen has been added to a moisturizer, it will help prevent future aging by blocking damaging UV rays.
Now, check out this video to see five more aging myths debunked.
This article was written by Farah Averill for AskMen.
Source: Top 10: Aging Myths
Photo credit: © Spencer Edwards for AskMen