Bar soap can be bad for your skin, especially the skin on your face.
That might sound desirable for a “deep clean,” but it leads to problems.
Syndet products, such as liquid facial cleansers, and considered better for your skin.
Michael H / Getty Images
The soap-based surfactants are especially problematic.
It Can Dry Your Skin and Cause Wrinkles
Soap-based surfactants can be bad for your skin.
That leads toinflammation, itching, and irritation.
Some of these microbes are harmful (pathogens), butin healthy skinmost of them are beneficial.
One job of the beneficial microbes is to keep harmful pathogens in check.
They do this by keeping the skin acidic.
The surfactants in conventional soaps lower your skin’s acidity and kill off a lot of the good bacteria.
That allows the bad ones to flourish.
The beneficial bacteria also turn immune-system activity in the skin on and off.
When they’re depleted, the immune system may not respond to infection, inflammation, and damage.
Basically, when the microbiome is out of balance, your skin can’t protect itself or heal.
Acne
In acne,hair folliclesin the skin become clogged with oils and dead skin cells.That leads to pimples.
It may seem counterintuitive, but stripping the oils and moisture from your skin can make acne worse.
More oil production means more acne.
Eczema
Eczema (also called atopic dermatitis) is an inflammatory skin condition.
The surfactants in soap can damage that already sensitive part of the skin, making eczema worse.
That helps keep your skin looking and feeling healthy.
These benefits are important for facial skin, especially if your skin is dry or sensitive.
It’s not complicated, though.
The syndet surfactants in liquid cleansers are better for your skin.
When washing, use these products with warm water, pat your skin dry, and use a moisturizer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most dermatologists agree you don’t need to use soap to stay clean.
Cleansers can be helpful for washing away makeup and oils on acne-prone parts of your body, though.
Studies have found that natural soaps can also be effective at destroying harmful microbes.
Walters RM, Mao G, Gunn ET, Hornby S.Cleansing formulations that respect skin barrier integrity.
2015;25(5):424-35. doi:10.1684/ejd.2015.2587
Inami Y, Andoh T, Sasaki A, Kuraishi Y.
[Surfactant-induced itching and the involvement of histamine released from keratinocytes].
2017;11(10).
doi:10.7860/JCDR/2017/28907.10789
National Institutes of Health: Director’s Blog.Unraveling the role of the skin microbiome in health and disease.
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Acne.
