How not to harm your face during care: mistakes in cleansing the skin. 7 reasons why you shouldn't wash with soap.
Washing your face with soap is to expose delicate and sensitive skin to unnecessary tests. To cleanse it, it is better to use other means - more delicate, developed taking into account the specifics of the epidermis. Despite the variety of soaps, do not be tempted to buy a fragrant piece of soap that says it was created specifically for your face. And even more so, you don't need to experiment with ordinary toilet soap. At best, the skin will react with irritation and dryness, and at worst, serious dermatological problems will appear. Here are 7 reasons why you shouldn't wash your face with soap.
Unsuitable composition
To begin with, soap, by definition, is not specifically designed for facial care. This product is designed for hygiene and household needs. Its composition was developed for such purposes.
In the classic recipe, the basis is a water-soluble sodium or potassium salt. Added to it are saturated fatty acids - most commonly sodium stearate. That is, soap suds are formed as a result of the reaction of fatty acids and alkali.
Under the influence of water, a foaming solution is formed, which penetrates into the pores, washing away impurities. The emulsion envelops the smallest particles of dirt, removing them from the surface of the skin. It would seem that this is very useful for a face that needs regular high-quality cleaning. After all, soap perfectly removes even sebum.
Why can't you wash your face with soap - this effect is not justified. It makes sense to clean your hands in this way, which are constantly in contact with heavily soiled surfaces. However, the effect is very aggressive for thin and delicate facial skin. The components of the product threaten and harm its cells:
- Salt ions "wash" natural moisturizing substances from the stratum corneum of the epidermis.
- Fatty acids cause clogging of the pores (this is especially evident if the skin is generally prone to acne formation).
It should be added that in stores today there are products that have almost nothing in common with soap in the classic presentation. These are synthetic detergents, the composition of which is even more "nuclear". It includes surfactants (surfactants) and vegetable fats, and even products of chemical processing of oil.
Naturally, such aggressive elements are completely contraindicated for use: synthetic face soap can be dangerous. As a result of washing, there is a feeling of tightness of the skin, irritation with redness and dryness. If you use the product constantly, you can get dermatitis and other skin problems.
The harm of soap to the skin of the face is even greater if it is a product for the mass market, which, in addition to the above components, contains dyes and fragrances. Some of them are so aggressive that they cause an allergic reaction or irritation after just one wash.
Destruction of the hydrolipid mantle
The diagram shows the hydrolipid mantle of moist and dry skin
Now let's move on to the structure of human skin. It is useful to have an idea about it in order to understand once and for all whether it is possible to wash your face with soap.
Our skin is a very complex multi-layered organ. One of its components is a hydrolipid mantle. With its violation and defects, numerous problems arise - from the penetration of microbes and allergens into deep tissues and to dehydration of the epidermis. Washing your face with soap is harmful, as it destroys the hydrolipid barrier, since initially such a product was not intended to perform delicate skin cleansing.
A hydrolipid mantle is a film that is located on the surface of the skin and is invisible to the eye, which consists of several elements:
- exfoliated scales;
- a person's own secretions - sweat, sebum;
- organic acids;
- local microflora - the so-called beneficial bacteria.
Naturally, she is quite vulnerable. Although it is constantly renewed, this layer is destroyed by aggressive chemical attack. It is this effect that is observed when foaming a classic soap based on fatty acids and alkali.
A synthetic agent made from surfactants and petrochemical products acts in a similar way. And the more often you use soap to wash your face, the more complex the consequences.
When the hydrolipid mantle does not have time to regenerate, a gap is formed in the protective barrier. The body is open to attacks by harmful microorganisms. The skin's permeability to chemicals is increased. In addition, the effectiveness of creams and other care products decreases. In the simplest terms, instead of penetrating deep into tissues and fixing serious problems in the structure of the skin, they will work superficially, in fact, patching up the hydrolipid barrier.
Violation of acid-base balance
Many commercials for different types of soaps are full of information that their products have the "correct" pH. Buyers, on the other hand, do not really understand what this indicator is, and easily believe the promises of the dealers. Meanwhile, the pH level is not as simple as we would like it to be. But precisely because of the violation of this indicator, the answer to the question of whether to wash your face with soap becomes obvious.
The peculiarity of human skin is that it has a healthy pH level in the range of 4.7-5.7. This is nothing more than the acidity of the integument. If the indicator is in the above-mentioned ranges, the environment is acidic. Thanks to this, the following positive effect is observed: harmful microorganisms die. That is, the skin, in fact, acts as the first and most important weapon against bacteria and viruses. Malicious agents die before they can penetrate the body. In acidic conditions, the so-called positive microbiota safely survives.
Washing your face with soap means breaking the acidic environment. Immediately after cleansing the skin with this product, the pH value changes dramatically - upward. How much it grows depends on the characteristics of the particular detergent product. But in any case, the natural acidic environment is changing, no matter what the soap manufacturers promise.
We will not argue that you can never wash your face with soap and under any circumstances. As the body makes every effort to restore mild acidity. For this, the epidermis produces various organic acids - lactic, citric and others. However, you definitely cannot use such a tool all the time.
An imbalance in favor of alkali is fraught with the following consequences:
- irritation of the skin;
- dry skin;
- development of pathogenic microflora;
- the formation of acne;
- the occurrence of skin diseases.
Moreover, you can not wash your face with soap if the skin is already prone to the appearance of microtraumas. Suffering from dehydration, the integument will not be able to defend against bacteria. Easily penetrating deep into tissues, microorganisms will provoke rashes and more serious pathologies.
Dangerous sterility
In the photo Propionibacterium acnes on the skin of the face
Many people do not even think about the question of whether it is possible to wash with soap: they love the sensations on the skin that arise after the face is washed "to a squeak." Most of the adherents of this detergent are among the owners of oily surfaces. And they can be understood: if the face shines from an excess of sebum, willy-nilly you want to wash so that the skin finally does not get greasy. However, this is unsafe and even harmful!
Let's take a closer look at the microbiota: in the simplest terms, this is a community of beneficial bacteria that is present on human skin. If at the end of the 19th century, some scientists discovered that there are some microorganisms invisible to the eye that can cause diseases, then others, a century later, found out that there are useful, vital ones among them.
The main representatives of the friendly microflora living on the face:
- Propionibacterium acnes - produces propionic acid. It, in turn, inhibits the growth of many harmful bacteria.
- Staphylococcus epidermidis - this microorganism prevents the reproduction of a harmful "relative" - Staphylococcus aureus.
Any, even the most delicate cream-soap for the face mercilessly destroys the microbiota. One could rejoice at this if you do not know that those very positive bacteria, in fact, protect us from aggressors. If they are purposefully eliminated, then an imbalance arises. Harmful microorganisms quickly and willingly settle on sterile clean skin: by diligently scraping off fat and dirt, a person, in fact, creates ideal conditions for them to reproduce. Therefore, soap for the skin of the face is harmful in that it contributes to the development of pathogenic flora.
It is no secret that even some cosmetologists still recommend washing with blackheads, blackheads, inflammations with tar soap. It is considered a natural antiseptic, destroying microflora. He is also credited with wound healing, drying properties. Can I wash my face with tar soap? If it is used, then it is very dosed. It is best to consult with a dermatologist or beautician first. Most often, with such a remedy, it is advised to perform literally 2-3 cleansing procedures per week, if there are indications for its use.
Changes in the structure of the stratum corneum
Having studied how this detergent acts on the skin, scientists have found that soap is harmful to the face not only in that it violates the hydrolipid mantle and pH. When acidity changes in the epidermis, undesirable processes begin. If the acidic environment changes to alkaline, the production of enzymes is disrupted. This, in turn, has a detrimental effect on the structure of the stratum corneum - this is the visible part of the skin. It serves as another barrier after the hydrolipid mantle in the path of pathogens.
What happens to the stratum corneum when washing with soap:
- The rate of cell renewal slows down;
- The ability to regenerate after damage is impaired;
- The structure of tissues changes: they become looser, more permeable.
That is why, against the background of constant use of such a remedy, there is unwanted dryness, redness, and a tendency to irritation. Due to changes in the structure of the stratum corneum, the skin resists environmental factors even worse - the sun, wind, frosty air. But the face is constantly open to such influences, therefore, the preservation of all barrier functions of the epidermis is doubly important for him. Therefore, a vicious circle is obtained, the result of which is the dullness of the integument, rapid aging along with peeling and other skin problems.
Loss of moisture
If you use soap for the face and body for washing, the feeling of dryness and tightness of the skin is inevitable. And it is unsafe - this is evidence of dehydration:
- Alkaline compounds destroy fats, that is, lipids, which are part of the hydrolipid mantle. It also prevents the loss of water.
- Incorrect pH leads to increased looseness and permeability of tissues. Accordingly, the precious liquid evaporates more easily and faster under the influence of the sun and wind.
If the skin is constantly "thirsty", its tissues, including collagen and elastin, suffer. They are responsible for youth and beauty. With a lack of water, such fibers lose their elasticity, along with rigidity comes fragility. Outwardly, this is expressed in the appearance of wrinkles, a weakening of turgor. If you want to postpone old age, the question of whether you can wash yourself with laundry soap will disappear by itself.
Lack of required components
Even if you buy the most expensive liquid soap for the face, after getting acquainted with its composition, it is easy to find out that it lacks many valuable components that are important in cleansing delicate and delicate skin. Although manufacturers are improving their products, adjusting them to modern standards. However, only the composition of special means for cleansing it - tonic and milk, lotion or gel, can be considered balanced and maximally useful for the skin of the face.
What exactly should be included in the face soap so that we can say that it perfectly and carefully cleanses and supports the skin:
- Special soft surfactants … These are not the corrosive substances that are acceptable in soap. Facial cleansers include capryl glucoside and coco-betaine, cocoglucoside and cocamidopropyl betaine. They excel at dealing with dirt, with little to no pH change or disturbance to the hydrolipid mantle. Therefore, overdrying of the skin with subsequent negative consequences is excluded.
- Acids … We are talking about milk, salicylic, etc. Remembering why it is impossible to wash with soap - because of its alkaline nature, it will become clear why such components are in the means intended for cleansing the face. They maintain an acidic environment, which is required to maintain the hydrolipid mantle, pH. Plus, acids gently exfoliate dead cells, thereby triggering regeneration processes. They are especially irreplaceable in products for oily and problem skin.
- Moisturizing ingredients … Since the face is open to all winds, drying sun and frosty air in winter, skin cells very quickly lose their precious moisture. Moreover, it is important to get rid of the belief that moisturizing is needed only with pronounced dryness of the integument. It is dehydration that can trigger excessive sebum production. And, accordingly, moisturizing ingredients can normalize the work of the sebaceous glands. If the skin is thoroughly washed from fat, using baby face soap or other similar product, instead of special foams and gels, the process will only worsen. Moreover, along with the oily sheen in the reflection, enlarged pores, black dots will also frighten. For a moisturizing effect, plant extracts, panthenol, glycerin are added to cosmetics for cleansing.
- Natural oils … They are formulated to soften dry skin. In parallel, they protect sensitive integuments. Naturally, manufacturers select the best oils for a delicate face - coconut, almond, rose, rosemary and thyme.
Why you can't wash your face with soap - watch the video:
It is also worth remembering that the cosmetic industry offers the widest arsenal of face cleansers, special formulations for dry and oily, combination and sensitive skin. With all the desire, it is impossible to select as accurately as possible a soap that will not only cleanse, but also moisturize, nourish, soften the skin, preventing the feeling of tightness and peeling. If you want to stay young as long as possible without fear of the first wrinkles, all the more you need to use special cosmetics. Do not rely on other people's reviews of facial soap: even if it suits someone perfectly, it is not a fact that it will satisfy the needs of your skin.
