The Truth About Skincare, Inflammatory Ingredients to Avoid with Dr. Barbara Sturm

Hazardous Ingredients

Barbara Sturm emphasizes the importance of avoiding certain skincare ingredients due to their inflammatory properties. She highlights retinol as a common ingredient that can cause inflammation and damage the skin barrier, despite its popularity for promoting cell turnover 1. Sturm also warns against hormone disruptors found in many skincare products, which can lead to early onset of puberty in young girls 2.

Retinol is one of the products ingredients which cause inflammation, a destruction of your skin barrier.

--- Barbara Sturm

She stresses the need for consumers to be informed about what they apply to their skin, as these ingredients can have significant health impacts 3.

   

Effects of Retinol

Retinol, often marketed as a miracle anti-aging ingredient, is scrutinized by Barbara Sturm for its potential to harm skin health. She argues that retinol can lead to inflammation and compromise the skin's protective barrier, likening its effects to harsh treatments that would never be applied to vital organs like the liver 4.

Would you throw acid peels on your kidneys? We do all these things to our skin and we think it doesn't matter.

--- Barbara Sturm

Sturm advises against using products with retinol and other harsh ingredients, advocating instead for skincare that supports the skin's natural functions and health 5.