In the Told Ya So! segment of The Dr. Oz Show, it was settled that washing our face twice a day gets rid of more bacteria than doing it only once. The guests were asked to have their faces scanned, and the scanned image revealed that the guest who washes her face only once a day has more bacteria on her T-zone.
But is washing your face twice a day enough to keep skin problems at bay? Or should you buy a face wash online carefully because this can make a difference as well?
Here are what experts say:
The face wash matters
According to the Academy of American Dermatology (AAD), the type of cleanser you use has a significant impact on the health of your skin; case in point, soap-based products. These products strip off the skin’s natural oils, making our skin dry and irritated, and then, later on, inflamed. When our face loses its natural oils, it is forced to produce more oil to compensate, resulting in oily complexion and breakout.
Another point to consider is the cleansing agent. People with combination or oily skin will do well with foaming washes or facial wash. Those with normal or dry skin can get by with a facial cleanser, as it is milder.
So, unless you are using the right product for your face, washing twice a day might not help get rid of your skin problems.
Washing your face properly is important
You also need to look at how you’re washing your face. The water temperature and the hand motion have something to do with the health of your skin.
We have been told that hot water opens our pores, making it easier for our facial products to penetrate our skin and do their job. However, doing it regularly may cause more harm than good because hot water removes more natural moisturizers from our skin than cool water.
Cold water, on the other hand, will not open our pores enough, so it’s harder for our face wash to enter the skin. Lukewarm water is the way to go, notes some skin care experts. When the skin is not clean enough or is too clean, it becomes a breeding ground for pimple-causing bacteria.
Rubbing your face also matters. When we rub it dry after washing, we remove the protective lipids that avoid irritation. It’s the same thing when we scrub aggressively. The recommended ways are to pat dry and rub our face gently in a circular or upward motion.
Sleep habits make a difference
In another Dr. Oz episode, he discussed some of the factors that cause adult acne. First is the pillowcase. When we sleep, we sweat and the pillowcase absorbs it. Since our face comes in contact with it, the bacteria also adheres to our face. Hence, Dr. Oz recommends washing pillowcases at least once a week. The pillow itself has bacteria, so cleaning it at least once every six months is necessary.
The next one is the hand cream we apply before bedtime. Unconsciously or not, our hands touch our face when we sleep. Some ingredients in the hand cream irritate our faces and cause breakouts.
Washing our face twice a day is beneficial, but if you want to ward off skin problems, it is not enough. You need to use the right face wash, clean your face properly, and get rid of irritants.
