Dermatologists Are Sharing The 9 Worst Skincare Habits They Wish You'd Drop

Your skin is an open book to a professional. If you’re sleeping in your makeup, popping pimples, or not drinking enough water, it’s likely they’ll be able to tell by the state of your skin. What are the habits they wish you’d change? They told us all about it.

Stop following crazy TikTok skin trends.

“Every day I see patients who have attempted to replicate a skin routine they found through social media,” said Dr. Hysem Eldik, a board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical. “It’s tricky to think that one influencer’s routine can work for someone else. Skin is unique, and no two patients are alike.” Tara Adashev, a plastic surgery nurse at Dr. Neinstein Plastic Surgery, offered a similar warning: “It seems that if it’s on TikTok and it’s a skincare trend, it’s a ‘must-try.’ Some of these trends are horrible for your skin or aren’t individually based.”

And just when professionals think they’ve seen it all, patients start trying even crazier trends. Dermatologist Naana Boakye has recently had patients tell her they’re using deodorant on their faces because they saw it on TikTok. “I shake my head and ask why, since the ingredients could possibly cause irritant-contact dermatitis,” she said. “Just — don’t.”

There are so many dangerous TikTok skincare trends, in fact, that we have an entire story about it.

Stop overdoing it with exfoliation.

Dermatologist Courtney Rubin knows that some of her patients tend to think, If a little is good, a lot will be better. But this isn’t a smart way to treat your skin. Rubin explained: “Many of my patients over-exfoliate their skin, either with manually abrasive scrubs or brushes, or with chemical exfoliants like glycolic acid. Many people incorrectly think that their breakouts and skin issues are due to the skin being ‘dirty,’ but over-exfoliation often makes things worse because it damages the skin barrier.”

What’s the ideal pace for exfoliation? “Once or twice a week can help to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin,” Rubin said. “But doing it five to seven times a week can break down the skin barrier, leading to inflammation and redness, burning/stinging, flaking, dryness, and breakouts.”

Similarly, dermatologist Claire Wolinsky, clinical instructor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, said she sees many patients overusing products. “Patients often come in with complex skincare regimens, and after reviewing, I find they are using multiple vitamin C products or a few AHA/BHAs, or layering both a retinol and retinoid in the same day,” she said. “Overdoing one ingredient can not only be a waste of money, but it increases the risk of skin irritation.”

Start cleaning your phone, pillowcase, and face masks.