Dermatologists Have a Dirty Little Secret
Most Americans view soap as essential to bathing as water. The daily grind confronts us with dirt, germs, and sweat, and a soapy shower provides the simple, pleasurable antidote.
Uncontroversial though soap may seem, some people are very troubled by your sudsy lather: dermatologists. “If you talk to most dermatologists, probably none of them use actual soap, except on their hands,” says Dr. Erin Chen, herself a dermatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]
Here’s what Chen and four other experts say about avoiding soap, healthier substitutes, and tips to make sure your cleaning rituals aren’t accidentally undermining your skin health.
The many downsides of soap
Soap rubs skin the wrong way for several reasons. It “contains many ingredients that just don’t do well for the skin,” says Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Soap combines fats or oils with sodium hydroxide (in the case of soap bars) or potas..