You Might Be Washing Up Too Much (and You Need a Shower Filter Believe It or Not)

Those who deal with the quarantine (and we are not referring to the action of isolating themselves for 40 days to avoid the risk of contagion, but to that period of age in which one thinks that they are back from everything …), surely you remember that weekly, liturgical, insurmountable act, normally held on weekends, in which the bathtub was filled for the first time in seven days and there, in that cubicle, all the minor members of the offspring were submerged. they got rid of the dirt with the blow of the Lizard; And we are not referring to the reptile either, but to the natural bar of soap that both disinfected the skin and was used to wash the car.

This was the popular cleaning routine back in the 80s, oh, how we have changed, as Sole Giménez, from Presumed Involved, would say, because now the shower head is at full capacity almost 24 hours a day. Any excuse is a good one to submit to the warm jets of the civic waters, and this makes us ask ourselves: Is it good to wash so much? Here the opinion of the experts is unanimous: we must wash when we feel dirty. No more. Considering that the degree of dirt is at its maximum level is a tricky issue that is up to each of us to decipher. The Internet has created false myths such as that hair cleans itself if it is not washed for approximately six weeks, since the level of natural oils that the scalp secretes (more when it is subjected to exhaustive cleaning with products that end up dragging them), they end up balancing giving an optical sensation of clean hair.

Because this is the crux of the matter: the aggressiveness of cleaning products and water of dubious quality acting constantly on our skin, can destructure it, sensitize it and leave it unprotected, since bacteria (skin microbiome) play a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of all layers.

However, skin experts disagree: “I don't think the solution to healthy, lustrous skin is not washing. The skin is the largest organ in the human body and is not just a protective barrier. It is an organ whose normal functioning and appearance depends on multiple factors, not just cleanliness”, says Dr. José Luis Ramírez Bellver, dermatologist at the International Dermatological Clinic. Certain ailments such as kidney and liver diseases, alter the tone of the skin and can cause itching; alterations in thyroid hormones, if they are not controlled, also affect the skin; a poor diet, stress, alcohol, lack of sleep... They are possible triggers for multiple dermatological diseases, adds Bellver.

Are we getting a bit of a clean freak? "The influence of marketing, a constant and abusive use of makeup, and a more active social life, make us resort to cleanliness on multiple occasions, sometimes in an exaggerated way," says Marga de Pedro, Director of Training for the dermocosmetic brand. MartiDerm, "The skin is a living organ, it is very sensitive and can negatively accuse excessive cleaning that unbalances its natural acid mantle, favoring dehydration and infections," he says. “Today it is not so much a habit that is limited solely to the hygienic act itself, but it is also a social act, a gesture that predisposes us to get closer and better to others on a day-to-day basis, which gives us security , freshness and calm. On the other hand, our environment is polluted and the particles that we cannot see with the naked eye are deposited on our skin and attack it in multiple ways, so it is necessary to clean them every night”, he warns.

During this routine act, we may have never wondered what soap really is and what action excessive detergents and running water have on our skin, and this is what the experts say: “Soap and cleaning products they have an effect of dissolving or dragging the particles deposited on the skin, which we call dirt, and of dissolving the fat or sebum and sweat that our skin exudes and that accumulates and oxidizes on it in contact with oxygen. Surfactants, responsible for the foam that we like to create so much during washing, detaches and suspends this dirt to be easily washed away when rinsing. Its consequences should not be other than those described, and given its formulation so as not to remain on the skin for a long time, it is difficult for it to generate serious negative effects", as described by the MartiDerm Training Director, and continues "However, the skins Sensitive or dry, they may notice that their problem worsens with its use, because it dissolves fat, which this type of skin is notably lacking. The water with which we wash also plays a crucial role in the equation of the negative or positive impact that cleaning can have on our skin, not all are the same and many are aggressive. Also the shape and utensils we use will make a difference. Using your hand is the gentlest way to clean our body, and although a sponge can also be, they require proper hygiene as they can accumulate and spread bacteria.

“If we use rough sponges, spend a lot of time under water, use soap all over our bodies, and then don't hydrate ourselves, we'll probably end up developing a tendency to dry skin, with the consequent associated itchiness,” warns Dr. Bellver. It seems that we are connecting the dots, here the problem does not lie in how much we wash but how we do it, and three seem to be the keys: the type of cleaner we use, the category of water with which we rinse and whether or not we replace the oils lost with proper hydration. The experts are also unanimous, despite the fact that the 100% natural handmade soap bar and lavender essence aroma dazzles us all, its pH is too alkaline (between 7 and 9) and could unbalance the protective acid mantle of the skin (which is 5.5); For this reason, everyone prefers the so-called "Syndet", synthetic surfactants (from English synthetic detergent) that, unlike their older brothers bar soaps, do not come from fats or oils. Their pH is lower, so they do not alter the hydrolipidic layer as much, and although they are sometimes called "soap without soap", the meaning is wrong, syndet is not "without detergents", but synthetic detergent, which does not bother us el marketing…

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The second in contention is water, lime, chloramides and the chemical compounds of the treated water unbalance the pH of both the skin and scalp, causing problems such as hypersensitivity and irritation. But don't worry, the cosmetics industry thinks of everything. Now we have cosmetic water filters that not only solve water hardness problems, but their fundamental task is to leave our skin softer and our hair shinier. Take T3 Source for example, which eliminates 95% of chlorine as it uses a patented mixture of tourmaline and other precious metals, neutralizing the harmfulness of water. Free chlorine can cause frizz, reduce shine, damage hair and leave skin dry and dull.

The English Vitaclean not only stops bad water (eliminates residual chlorine by 98%), but also provides a shot of vitamin C and essential oils to beautify the skin and make the act of showering a true spa ritual. In addition, it has a water pressure between 3-6 times greater than that of standard shower heads, so it allows you to save up to 25% water in each shower, contributing to the environment and a greater preservation of water around the world. .

The German Alb Filter extols the virtues of activated carbon to eliminate impurities from water and bad odors, it also reduces limescale, chlorine and heavy metals. Its Alb pH-Fix filter stabilizes the pH of the water to prevent the imbalance of the acid mantle. In addition, its Alb Derma Beads system, a studied mix of minerals, soothes the skin and scalp.

And finally, proper hydration. According to experts, the routine act of cleaning is not complete without this necessary step. Let's not be lazy. Fortunately, the market offers a thousand and one alternatives for express nutrition, such as Neutrogena's Deep Moisturizing Spray for dry skin or Ureadin Spray & Go from ISDIN that, in a simple gesture (they work even on damp skin), provide the necessary nutrients so that the skin does not suffer.