Dermatologist reveals 5 warning signs in skincare products that shoppers ignore
Skincare hacks are all the rage on social media these days, but there is a darker side to this trend. A new post shared by dermatologist Dr. Garekar on Instagram on Wednesday, November 19, laid out a set of red flags the dermatologist believes buyers routinely overlook when it comes to skincare. The points were blunt, aimed at explaining why certain product claims do not line up with how skin actually works.
Aggressive marketing over science
The first caution was familiar. When a product is suddenly everywhere – influencers, actors, and pages full of paid promotions – it usually signals heavy marketing spend, not scientific breakthroughs. Dr. Garkear said strong formulas typically come out of research teams, not “a PR rollout,” adding that visibility on social feeds shouldn’t be confused with clinical strength.
Instant-results promises
Avoid products with phrases like “erase dark spots in a week” or “pores vanishing overnight.” The dermatologist noted that basic skin processes take time. Epidermal turnover takes roughly 28–40 days, melanogenesis reduction needs weeks, and collagen remodeling takes much longer. Any product claiming to beat human physiology, the expert said, is selling fiction rather than dermatology.
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Prices that seem too low
Another red flag involved unrealistically cheap formulas. Dr. Garekar pointed to ingredients such as retinoids, peptides, L-ascorbic acid, and growth factors. Stabilizing them and keeping them bioavailable is costly. When a product with those actives is priced lower than a takeaway coffee, buyers should be cautious. Extremely low costs can reflect minimal concentrations or unstable formulations.
Claims of 100% results
Dr. Garekar also mentioned that even prescription treatments rarely deliver universal outcomes. Skincare aims for visible improvement, not guaranteed perfection. When labels insist on “100% results,” the dermatologist said, it is usually an example of marketing enthusiasm rather than clinical accuracy.
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Fear-based messaging
The final warning targeted brands that promote themselves by attacking competitors with broad terms like “toxins” and “chemicals,” while offering little transparency about their own formulas. Dr. Garekar said that when a pitch relies entirely on “don’t use them,” it often means there’s not much evidence behind “use us.”
The list works more as a quick reference than a critique. It is a reminder to match claims with science, especially as new products continue to crowd the market.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
