‘I’m a Dermatologist, and These are the 4 Myths About Wrinkles I Hear Most Often’

Put a blister Band-Aid on your face! Slather on the Vaseline! DIY your own facial scrub using coffee grounds! TikTok might be a great place to discover a genius one-dish cooking hack, but when it comes to skin-care advice on social media, it can be difficult to differentiate fact from fiction. (For those keeping track, the first two tips get a dermatologist’s stamp of approval, while the third does not.) So, to set the record straight regarding one of Americans’ biggest beauty concerns—wrinkles—we knew we needed to get our answers from a qualified expert.

We asked cosmetic dermatologist Michele Green, MD, to name the myths about wrinkles that she hears day in and day out—and wants to put to bed for good.

Myth 1: If there are clouds in the sky, no sunscreen is needed to fend off UV rays and protect against wrinkles

We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again: No matter the weather, season, or amount of time you spend outside, applying (at the very least) a single layer of SPF is absolutely paramount—especially if your goal is to prevent fine lines and wrinkles from forming. That’s because, according to Dr. Green, prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays (even through an office window or, yep, on cloudy days) can lead to signs of aging beyond wrinkles, including sunspots and the development of skin cancer.

Which is all to say, if you don’t have an SPF of 30 or higher in your skin-care routine yet, now’s the time. We love Tatcha’s Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen SPF 35 ($65). But remember, your face isn’t the only area of your body that’s prone to sun damage and wrinkling—your hands are, too. To protect them from prematurely aging, be sure to slather them with an SPF hand cream, like the Supergoop! Handscreen SPF 40 ($38).

For more tips for choosing the best sunscreen for your skin, watch the video below:

Myth 2. Oily skin is a natural protector against wrinkles

Tl;dr: Just because you have oily skin doesn’t mean that it won’t wrinkle. Dr. Green says that while collagen is responsible for keeping your skin supple, tight, and firm and that “it may be true that those with higher levels of testosterone generally tend to have oilier, thicker skin, the amount of oil produced is unrelated to collagen production in the skin.”

With this in mind, she says that creating an oil-balancing skin-care routine is the best way to effectively (and proactively) address concerns of premature aging.

Myth 3. Once you start getting wrinkles, there’s no going back

If you think that because you already have wrinkles, it’s too late to proactively work to prevent them, think again.

“There are a number of ways to rejuvenate the skin by minimizing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines,” Dr. Green reassures. “Myriad procedures and products—like Thermage, Fraxel laser, microneedling—can help keep the skin looking and feeling smooth, youthful, and radiant.”

Myth 4. It’s too early for Botox injections to treat wrinkles

On the other end of the spectrum, Dr. Green says that it’s never too early to start thinking about how to prevent the formation of wrinkles.

“Botox injections can be used preventatively,” she says. “We can essentially ‘freeze’ an area before wrinkles and fine lines begin to form by using small amounts of Botox, aka ‘baby Botox.’” When Botox is used in small amounts in a preventative way, Dr. Green says that you’ll be able to greatly prevent any unwanted crow’s feet and 11 lines.

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