Is Your Cleanser Hurting Your Skin?

Ah, winter: cozy sweaters, snow-topped trees... and for many of us, tight, dry skin! During colder months, a drop in humidity - with help from harsh indoor heating systems - lowers the amount of water in the air.

As a result, water easily evaporates off the skin. Many people adjust their moisturizers as the seasons change, but I see far fewer patients who realize that their cleansers may actually be exacerbating their dry skin.

Bottom line: If you experience redness, burning, pain, or flaking of your skin, you may be over-washing it or using a counterproductive cleanser.

The epidermis includes a layer of fats that's crucial for preventing water from evaporating off the skin. Foaming cleansers and bar soap strip those fats, though, leading to dry skin - and that dry, weakened skin is also less able to protect itself against irritants and allergens.

So, which cleansers are best for dry (or just drier-than-usual) skin this time of year? Some of my favorites:

• All but the oiliest skin types should avoid cleansers that foam vigorously. (And oily types, take note: If you're close to the middle of the oily-dry spectrum, harsh winter weather can turn you into a dry skin type; pay attention to any changes in your skin.) Dove's ProAge or Energy Glow lines include excellent moisturizing cleansers, which can help fortify skin with the fatty acids it needs. (These cleansers are great even though they foam)
• The term "cleansing oil" can be off-putting to some people, but these are actually a great option for particularly dry skin types. I love L'Occitane's Almond Apple Cleansing Oil, Shu Uemura's line of cleansing oils, and Laura Mercier's Purifying Oil cleanser.
• If you have "combination skin" - that is, skin that's oily in the T-zone and dry on the cheeks - Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser or CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser are both excellent options.

In over 10 years of practice, I have noticed that many people with acne cleanse their faces too much. Let me clear one thing up: Acne-prone skin is not "dirty," and blemishes can't be washed or scrubbed away. In fact, cleansing too much or with harsh scrubs actually irritates the skin and worsens acne. Studies have shown that moisturizing cleansers are particularly beneficial for people with acne, particularly anyone using strong anti-acne products like Retin-A or Accutane.

Finally, if you have an impaired skin barrier, exfoliating will only damage it further. Avoid scrubs and even non-abrasive exfoliating ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids if your skin is particularly dry or irritated (and if you're a sensitive skin type, avoid scrubs year-round).

Wishing you great skin!

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thx for posting

thanks for the post! I really agree... I use retin-A and my skin used to peel something awful when I used my strong salicylic acid face washes with it... now I used the oil cleansing method and it's made all the difference

Thnx for the post! my Neutrogena pore refining cleanser is getting abit too harsh for me these days...had to take a break and switch to pure Aleppo soap...no more dryness and rough patches I have a feeling I'll go back to the foamier cleansers when the weather gets hotter though.

great info! thanks kelly!

Thanks Kelly!

Thanks for this post, Kelly! That was very informative.

Very interesting. Thanks for posting.

Thank you, I didn't know that about foaming cleansers.

I knew I wasn't crazy!!! LOL. I had to switch cleansers this winter because my skin was getting sooo dry and I was starting to get little flakes. I used a creamier cleanser and it really helped.

thanks Kelly !!

Thanks!

I have pretty good skin! I use Mary Kay's Timewise

and Enimence

Thanks!

I used to used the harshest cleansers by clean n' clear, that stuff seemed toxic at times.

They may not work for everyone, but I don't use liquid cleansers at all anymore, and I've seen a huge improvement in my skin. Everyone I know who doesn't use facewash has great skin, which is what prompted me to stop using it. I know that some people don't like the cleansing wipes though because they don't feel they get skin clean enough, and if you use a lot of makeup on your face that may be true.

I've been using an olive oil-based cleanser by a Japanese brand called DHC and really like it. With all the actives I use (I alternate Retin-A Micro, glycolic acid, & an antioxidant serum), it keeps my skin soft in the morning. But it doesn't remove makeup! At night to remove makeup - even mascara - Olay Sensitive Skin Foaming Face Wash is great.