Wiping away the need for a good wash
Turning off the tap could turn out to be a bad idea for your skin
IT’S nothing new to hear people claim that washing with water is bad for the skin.
The skincare industry, however, has made it easier for people to step away from the taps in their daily cleansing regime.
Like lots of things, skincare isn’t one size fits all. Before you rush to stock up on wipes, lotions and potions to use for cleansing instead of water, let’s scrub up on the basics. Water isn’t the same What comes out of the tap can be very different, depending on your location in terms of its precise mineral contents and PH levels.
We’ve heard of hard and soft water. This relates to its specific mineral ion content, largely determined by the rocks found in different regions.
Hard water usually contains high levels of calcium or magnesium compounds. There are varying degrees of hard and soft water too, and both potentially have their pros and cons. Everybody’s different Not only is water different but how we react to it is an individual thing too.
Dr Toni Phillips, clinical director at DestinationSkin (www. destinationskin.com) said: “Hard water, in particular, can cause problems. It has a high metal and mineral content that makes it more difficult to wash off beauty products, and can cause dryness, acne and even eczema.”
Soft water can irritate some skins too, “leading to dryness and redness due to impurities in the water”, added Phillips. Be cautious with wipes They’re convenient, so it’s no wonder cleansing wipes are popular.
But they could do some people’s skin more harm than good, not to mention the environmental impact, with rising volumes of wipes washing up on our beaches.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Justine Hextall (www. sussexdermatologist. co.uk) said: “A lot of wipes contain methylisothiazolinone, a well-known preservative, and people becoming sensitised to it and experiencing eczemalike reactions.
“I see people returning from holiday with dry, sore skin around their eyes, and it turns out they took wipes with them to use while they’re away.” All about the PH balance Our natural skin barrier PH is slightly acidic and disrupted PH levels can result in dry and sensitive skin.
That tight sensation after washing with soap? It’s because it’s become too alkaline, notes Hextall.
She said: “I see a lot of patients who are obsessed with whether they’re using the right moisturiser, and how much moisturiser they’re using.
“Often I say we need to take a step back and look at what they’re actually washing with, as this is probably a big factor.”
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