What we use on our skin matters.
The outermost later of our skin is not commonly talked about although it is critically important to the health of our skin and to our body as a whole. Our skin is covered with an acid mantle and it’s very own microbiome. These systems serve incredibly important functions for our health and immune function.
When our skin microbiome is compromised, we become more compromised.
Killing 99.9% of the bacteria on our skin may seem like it’s a good thing when we fear a few organisms. There’s a very large percentage of those microbes residing in, in, and around us that are actually serving a myriad of health benefits and working to protect us. When we deplete them, it’s to our detriment.
It also leaves only the strongest and most resistant to survive which means those will repopulate and become more invasive and problematic over time. Superbugs are a real problem.
Cleaning our skin removes dirt and impurities. What we use to remove them makes a difference as some soaps strip the oils, alter the pH, and deplete the microbiome that are in place for our health.
Sanitizing our skin kills a large number of organisms including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. And it does not discriminate beneficial from problematic microbes.
Clean > Sanitized
Clean as needed. Sanitizer only when necessary. Choose cleansers well. For your skin and for your health.
See “Soap” and “Skin” and “Microbiome” highlights to geek out with me.