You might have heard about the Caveman Regimen that totally shuns the use of soaps and face washes to clean the skin. Proponents of the method swear by it saying that not using these abrasive chemicals brings a world of difference to their skin, even stopping their stubborn acne dead in its tracks. But it’s wise to take that sort of extreme advice with a pinch of salt. There’s no science to prove whether living like a caveman and not washing your face will cure your acne. But there is enough and more evidence that says using soap can be BAD for your skin.
From the beginning of time, face washing is considered the first step towards skincare. The foundation to a healthy, clear skin is hygiene and we don’t debate that. The problem is when people think that clean skin can be only achieved through soap. That’s where everyone goes wrong. Soaps, as we know, can be quite abrasive and can rip the natural oils off the skin’s surface. Here are some science-backed reasons why you should stop using soaps and other detergents on your skin.
1 It disturbs the acid mantle
For a healthy skin, it is important to keep your skin slightly acidic by maintaining the pH balance between 4 and 6.5. The invisible acid mantle is a protective acidic film on the surface of your skin secreted by the sebaceous glands. It acts like a barrier against harmful pathogens such as bacteria and viruses and pollutants from entering the skin. The abrasive properties of soap change the skin’s pH to alkaline and irritate the protective mantle and causes breaches in it. As a result, skin problems such as acne flare up because the acid mantle cannot keep harmful bacteria such as P acnes away.1 Here’s a foaming cleanser that maintains the pH of your skin.
2 It makes the skin dry
This one’s a well-known side effect of using soap. Although it effectively cleans the grime and dirt, soaps also tend to strip the skin of its lipids, which influences its hydration status. This leads to dry, leathery-looking skin. Chemicals like triclosan, lye and certain dyes like D&C Yellow 11 can dry out the skin and damage it. In the long run, frequent use of soap can speed up the skin’s degradation, causing wrinkles.2 3 Here are some habits that can cause wrinkles.
3 It affects the structure of the skin
The outermost layer of the skin is known as the stratum corneum. Responsible for regulating the skin barrier, the layer comprises primarily of dead skin cells. Studies have shown that regular washing with soap and water can alter the structure of the stratum corneum. In fact, using soap for just seven days can damage the protective barrier of the skin and increase the pH of the skin surface.3 4
4 It affects the good bacteria on your skin
For a healthy skin, it is important to maintain the delicate microbiome or the ecosystem of healthy microorganism living on the skin. These microbes are harmless; some of them are even beneficial for the skin’s overall health. They prevent external microbes that cause serious skin infections by competing for nutrients, stimulating immune attacks against them or by secreting toxic chemicals to kill them. Soap harms these helpful microorganisms by changing the pH balance of your skin, leaving it more susceptible to skin infections and acne.3 5
5 It can cause allergic reactions
One of the commonest causes of allergic skin reactions is soap and the harmful chemicals that go into making it. Soap-based hand washes are one of the leading causes of hand dermatitis. Antimicrobial soaps that contain harsh chemicals, fragrances and colours causes inflammation, irritation and swelling of the skin.6
Going off soap may be a little difficult for those who have grown up it for cleansing purposes. Opt for soap-free cleansers that offer the right pH balance, which won’t alter the acid mantle of the skin. Other soap-free methods of cleansing like oil cleansing offer a lot of benefit to the skin.
References:
1 Schmid, M. H., & Korting, H. C. (1995). The concept of the acid mantle of the skin: its relevance for the choice of skin cleansers. Dermatology, 191(4), 276-280.
2 https://www.thehealthsite.com/beauty/9-harmful-chemicals-in-soaps-which-can-ruin-skin/
3 Gfatter, R., Hackl, P., & Braun, F. (1997). Effects of soap and detergents on skin surface pH, stratum corneum hydration and fat content in infants. Dermatology, 195(3), 258-262.
4 Danby, S. G., Wigley, A., Tierney, N., Martin, K., Stamatas, G., & Cork, M. J. Soap-induced damage to the stratum corneum arises as a result of elevated proteolytic degradation of corneodesmosomes.
5 Korting, H. C., Braun-Falco, O., Ponce-Pöschl, E., Klövekorn, W., Schmötzer, G., & Arens-Corell, M. (1995). The influence of the regular use of a soap or an acidic syndet bar on pre-acne. Infection, 23(2), 89-93.
6 Mukhopadhyay, P. (2011). CLEANSERS AND THEIR ROLE IN VARIOUS DERMATOLOGICAL DISORDERS. Indian Journal of Dermatology, 56(1), 2–6. http://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5154.77542 a;;ergy
Image source: Shutterstock
