„Akne-Sicher“ Wie TikTok Menschen mit Akne verunsichert
Angezweifelt Wie TikTok das Selbstbewusstsein von Akne-Betroffenen untergräbt
In the context of beauty, there are some phrases that initially sound good: “cruelty-free,” “safe during pregnancy,” or “free from chemicals,” for example. Although many of these claims do have a scientific basis (skincare ingredients like retinoids and hydroquinone can harm a fetus, for example), others are more questionable. (For example, everything is a chemical – even water. And even plant-based cosmetics contain chemicals.) One of these phrases is currently very popular – especially on Beauty TikTok: “acne safe.”
If you regularly browse TikTok, you have probably come across a handful of videos in which influencers or beauty fans mention products that are either considered “acne safe” or “not acne safe,” including cult brands like CeraVe, The Ordinary, and Byoma. Some of the videos come with a disclaimer explaining that “not acne safe” products may contain one or more ingredients that can cause “pimples.” But what does “acne safe” actually mean – and can you trust this term?
@healthyskindupe Replying to @⭐️ Byoma edition!🫶 #byomaskincare #fyp #beauty #acneskin #acneproneskin #acnesafe #skincare #skinhealth
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What is “acne safe” skincare and makeup?
Dermatologist Dr. Anjali Mahto believes that “acne safe” is just another term for “non-comedogenic” – meaning a product is less likely to clog pores or cause breakouts. “It’s about the comedogenicity scale,” explains Dr. Mahto. This scale ranges from 0 (non-comedogenic) to 5 (most comedogenic, meaning pore-clogging). “This scale is now being presented under a new name to make it sound fresh and interesting,” says Dr. Mahto. However, “acne safe” or similar terms like “suitable for blemish-prone skin” are not legally protected phrases, she adds. “This formulation serves a marketing purpose but has no real meaning.”
Can I trust “acne safe” beauty products?
Because “acne safe” is effectively another name for “non-comedogenic,” it’s worth understanding the scientific term better – as well as its limitations. “The problem with ‘non-comedogenic’ products has to do with the tests that are supposed to determine whether a product clogs pores or not,” says Dr. Mahto. Until recently, these tests were conducted on animals. Nowadays, such studies are done on human volunteers, she explains. “Typically, the product is applied to the back before the skin is covered. Then, they examine whether any issues arise – such as small blackheads.”
The disadvantage of such tests is that they rarely examine multiple skin types, says Dr. Mahto. Additionally, the pool of volunteers is often very small. “Furthermore, the skin on the back varies greatly from the skin on the face.” Although both body areas contain thousands of sebaceous glands that produce oil, a product on your face (whose skin is generally more sensitive and reactive) can cause a completely different reaction than on your back.
Dr. Mahto adds that a non-comedogenic product can indeed be better suited for acne-prone skin than one that is not. However, the “non-comedogenic” label does not reveal everything you need to know. “The comedogenicity scale is not very helpful because comedogenicity ultimately depends on the overall composition of the product – not just its individual ingredients,” explains Dr. Mahto. For example, a single active ingredient may clog your pores, but when combined with other substances (within a makeup or skincare product, for example), it may not have a comedogenic effect. It also plays a significant role in which other products you combine it with on your skin. The concentration of each active ingredient is equally important. Some chemicals may be pore-clogging in high concentrations but less so in lower amounts.
@.beauty_planet
Can my diet worsen acne?
The “acne-safe” trend is not limited to skincare but can also lead to dangerous dietary habits. A quick scroll under the hashtag gives us countless videos where certain foods or meals are promoted as “acne-safe,” while others are criticized as “not acne-safe.” Dr. Mahto has also noticed this connection and has already heard from patients who have eliminated dairy products, gluten, and/or sugar from their diet in order to achieve clear skin. Many of them had restricted their diet to the point where it had become unhealthy obsession. And although there is evidence of a connection between acne and foods with a high glycemic index (GI), Dr. Mahto explains that the equation “certain foods = acne” is not always true. Acne is multifactorial: many factors can play a role, such as genetics, hormones, stress, and skincare.
If you have acne, Dr. Mahto recommends seeking professional medical help – whether from primary care physicians or dermatologists – instead of diagnosing yourself and eliminating entire food groups from your diet.
Which beauty experts can you really trust?
Because there is no legal or scientific definition for “acne-safe,” the term is largely meaningless, says Dr. Mahto, adding that caution in dealing with social media always pays off in this regard as well. TikTok and co. can be a great source of knowledge but are not always the best place to seek medical advice. Therefore, Dr. Mahto advises to do your own research and question where you actually get your information from. She adds that you should always get your skincare knowledge from trustworthy sources – namely, qualified experts with a scientific background. “These don’t have to be dermatologists,” she emphasizes. “They can also be cosmetic scientists or cosmetic developers – people who can recommend products to you from a more scientific standpoint.” After all, it’s not just about how a product works on your skin, but also about how it is composed, says Dr. Mahto.
Wenn du noch nicht weißt, wem du dazu folgen solltest, empfehlen wir die kosmetische Chemikerin und Kosmetikerin Esther Oluwaseun (alias The Melanin Chemist auf Instagram), die kosmetische Wissenschaftlerin Jennifer Novakovich (The Eco Well), Allison Turquoise, zuständig für die Zusammensetzung kosmetischer Produkte, den kosmetischen Chemiker Ramón Pagán und die Kosmetikerin Alicia Lartey. Vertrauenswürdige Dermatologinnen mit einer Vorliebe für Beauty-Produkte sind Dr. Mahto selbst und die amerikanische Dermatologin Dr. Shereene Idriss.
https://www.tiktok.com/@..amysfr/video/7229460030062480645
Welche Produkte und Inhaltsstoffe sollte ich mit Akne vermeiden?
Jede Haut ist anders. So sorgt feuchtigkeitsspendende Sheabutter bei manchen zum Beispiel für verstopfte Poren, zaubert anderen aber wunderschöne Haut. Dr. Mahto zufolge kann es helfen, nach Produkten mit den Bezeichnungen „oil-free“/„nicht fettend“ oder „mattierend“ Ausschau zu halten. Ein weiterer grundlegender Tipp ist der, dir erstmal eine Probe des Produkts zu besorgen, bevor du Geld dafür ausgibst, und es auf deiner Haut zu testen. „Wenn es sich dickflüssig und schwer auf deiner Haut anfühlt und du zu Pickeln neigst, wird es deiner Haut vermutlich weniger gefallen. Wenn es aber eine gelartige Textur hat und ganz leicht auf der Haut liegt, kann sie damit eventuell besser umgehen.“ Wenn du dennoch überfordert bist, kannst du natürlich auch nach dem Label „nicht komedogen“ (non-comedogenic) suchen, meint Dr. Mahto.
Zu guter Letzt: Kann man Produkt-Reviews jemals wirklich vertrauen? „Wir haben alle schon die Storys von Marken gehört, die ihre Angestellten dazu gezwungen haben, falsche Bewertungen zu schreiben“, meint Dr. Mahto. „Wenn du dir die Reviews dann doch durchliest (und ich muss zugeben, dass ich das auch mache), dann schau, wie viele Kommentare das Produkt hat.“ Wenn es Abertausende sind, kannst du dieser Meinung vielleicht eher vertrauen, als wenn es nur ein paar Dutzend Reviews sind.
Generell gilt: Versuch der Macht der Werbung zu widerstehen. Die besten Beauty-Produkte – ob nun Make-up oder Hautpflege – sind nämlich die, die dir gefallen. Wenn du also einen Moisturizer benutzt, der nicht als „acne safe“ gilt, aber für dich gut funktioniert, ist es überhaupt nicht nötig, in Zukunft auf ihn zu verzichten.
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