7 Things Dermatologists Would Never Do to Their Own Skin

There’s no shortage of skin-care advice online, some of it helpful, some of it questionable and some of it downright dangerous. To help cut through the noise, we asked board-certified dermatologists and skin experts to reveal the things they avoid at all costs. These aren’t just myths or trends they warn their patients about trying. These are practices they say they’ll always steer clear of.

1. Use a scrub with crushed walnut shells or apricot pits

These may feel satisfying, but harsh physical scrubs can seriously damage your skin barrier. “I would never use one of those gritty scrubs,” says Rochester, MI dermatologist Mariana Atanasovski, MD. “They can scratch up your skin—like sandpaper on your face. Gentle is the new glow. Think acids or enzymes, not kitchen sink abrasives.”

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2. Lie in a tanning bed

There’s no safe way to tan in a bed, and dermatologists don’t sugarcoat it. “Tanning beds are going to accelerate your skin aging, increase wrinkles and enlarge the appearance of your pores,” says Shreveport, LA dermatologist Skylar Souyoul, MD. Even one session damages your skin at the cellular level.

3. Sleep in makeup

One of the simplest rules dermatologists follow? Clean your face at night. “I would never go to sleep without washing my makeup off,” says NYC dermatologist Juliya Fisher, MD. “Dirt, oils and pollution collect on the skin and can cause clogged pores, acne and aging.” This one’s easy—and makes a major difference long term.

4. Microneedling at Home

Multiple dermatologists flagged at-home microneedling as a red flag. “If the skin isn’t cleansed properly, you can introduce infection or tattoo foreign material like makeup into the skin,” says Laguna Hills, CA dermatologist Jennifer Channual, MD. 

Germantown, TN dermatologist Purvisha Patel, MD adds, “The pressure isn’t evenly distributed, and the angle isn’t consistent, so you risk microtears, scarring and hyperpigmentation.” In short: leave it to the pros.

5. At-Home Injections

At-home filler pens are dangerous—and shockingly common. “Before you put something into your face, you need to have a clear understanding of facial anatomy and be using medical-grade products.” Newton, MA dermatologist Papri Sarkar, MD agrees: “I’d never use filler or neurotoxin bought online and inject it at home. We don’t even allow patients to bring their own products to the office.”

6. Make your own sunscreen

“Homemade sunscreen is a huge red flag,” says Dr. Sarkar. ”SPF goes through multi-year testing to make sure it protects the skin against UV radiation and helps prevent cancer and sunspots. Your DIY version won’t do that.” Even if the ingredients are “clean,” they won’t provide the proven protection your skin needs.

7. Get a facelift (at least for one doctor)

Not all experts are anti-facelift, but New Orleans dermatologist Mary Lupo, MD, has seen enough to know it’s not for her. “This will anger a few thousand people off, but I would never do a facelift,” she says. “I’ve seen too many unhappy patients over the past 40-plus years,” she says. “Yes, I’ve seen great results too, and I send some of my patients for a facelift consult. But for me, I’ll just stick with my nonsurgical tool belt.”