Soap & Acne

July 7, 2005 4:52 PM

How do you wash your face?

Joe doesn't have acne issues and said he never uses soap on his face, and I use soap daily and have acne issues regardless of kind. I stopped using soap on my face, and it seems pretty clear so far. That, and water seems to be enough to keep it from looking too greasy. Hi Joe.

posted by angry modem to Health & Fitness (26 answers total)

I kinda went through the same thing. I found no matter what soap I used on my face, I still had breakouts. So I started using just water, and most of the time I'm breakout free. So yeah, just water for me.
posted by geeky at 4:57 PM on July 7, 2005

I had a similar problem with a rash around my nose, and I switched to a really non-reactive soap (depends on what's on hand, but Neutrogena is a good example.) Intrestingly, my dermatologist said NEVER EVER to use Ivory on your face - it's apparently WAY too harsh and results in more breakouts for a lot of people, since the skin has to struggle to replace the oils it strips.

Now if I could just figure out how to wash my face in the sink without ending up with a huge puddle at my feet...
posted by pomegranate at 5:04 PM on July 7, 2005

And that would be IntErestingly.
posted by pomegranate at 5:05 PM on July 7, 2005

I use facial cleanser, not soap (which can be too harsh and dry you out too much). One usually designed for sensitive skin. Also, nothing with harsh exfoliants... I like Neutrogena's Anti Wrinkle, Anti Blemish cleanser. The thing I've found that helps the most, though, is to follow up the washings with a moisturizer that is oil free. I use Oil of Olay, oil free for sensitive skin. With a gentle cleanser and a moisturizer, I tend to be breakout free on my face.
posted by unsweet at 5:05 PM on July 7, 2005

The easiest and gentlest "regime" has turned out to be the best for my skin too: at night, a non-oily eye makeup remover on my eyes and a layer of Cetaphil cleanser all over the rest of my face, (very gently) removed off with a warm, damp washcloth. Then a light, non-oily moisturizer and eye cream. (I'll sometimes use a toner before the moisturizer/eye cream if my skin's feeling oily or am in a breakout phase.) My skin's clearer and softer now than it's been in years.
posted by scody at 5:07 PM on July 7, 2005

Man, if I had to do all that crap to be rid of a few zits every month or two, I'd just take the acne.
posted by angry modem at 5:12 PM on July 7, 2005

Hmmm, "all that crap" takes less than 3 minutes, so it's really not that much of a hassle.
posted by scody at 5:22 PM on July 7, 2005

I wash my face a bit in the shower, certainly not with soap. That's it.
posted by furtive at 5:30 PM on July 7, 2005

I have extremely dry skin which, in the winter temperatures of -40°F, becomes unbearably itchy. So this may not help you. But I wash my face in the shower with an exfoliator, and then slather it with a thick conditioner immediately after the shower. If I plan on being outside for longer periods of time in the winters I will use a good coating of vaseline.
posted by rhapsodie at 5:45 PM on July 7, 2005

I use neutrogena's Razor Defense Daily Face Scrub. If I had acne I'd use Neutrogena Skin Clearing Face Wash.
posted by justgary at 5:54 PM on July 7, 2005

Cetaphil's the best cleanser ever made. Just wash your face with it twice a day, in the shower even, and you're golden.

It's a lot gentler than soap and non-comedogenic. Any dermatologist will recommend it for anyone.
posted by xmutex at 6:03 PM on July 7, 2005

I use a brush kind of like this one with a face wash for sensitive skin. The brush makes the cleanser go farther and helps get rid of dry flaky bits. I used to use oil-free moisturizer after, but recently I've found that just a couple of drops of plain jojoba oil on a still-damp face works better and makes me break out a lot less. I've read that it's most like natural skin oils and so absorbs nicely and helps convince your skin that it isn't deprived and so it needn't flip out and overproduce nasty stuff. I don't know if this is actually true, and I certainly felt weird putting OIL! on my FACE! but the results have been very good. It's cheap, too.
posted by redfoxtail at 6:11 PM on July 7, 2005

I spent a lot of time washing my face with soap. It wasn't working so I said "why bother...". I gave up, my face looks better now, and I no longer waste my time with the soap. Wash it with just water whenever I get the chance. Usually 2-3 times a day.
posted by Sonic_Molson at 6:20 PM on July 7, 2005

If you have acne try Oxy-10 Wash. Benzoyl peroxide works, and there are stronger meds as well, but it tends to dry the skin. The wash give just enough to kill the acne bacteria without being too drying. Don't leave it on too long. Wash and rinse at a regular pace. Benzoyl peroxide works much better than all the salicylic acid and sulphur crap. If it doesn't work for you, either because it isn't strong enough or still dries your skin, see a dermatologist. They have some amazing antibiotic creams these days which really work. No one need suffer from acne these days.

As for gentle soaps, Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash is what my dermatologist recommends, although I really like the Razor Defense Daily Face Scrub (I never asked her about this one). I am kind of well past my teens so you can temper your response to my comments with that info. As for water alone, I wouldn't - it won't get the bacteria off. Most people are fine with soap or other cleanser. Some need something antibacterial, but water alone won't really get your face clean.
posted by caddis at 6:25 PM on July 7, 2005

I was having some serious shaving issues. So my doc recommended standard anti-bacterial soft soap (ABSS); for freaking everything. I cut out all moisturizers, shaving cream, exfoliating soap, pre-shave oils, etc... I wash with ABSS twice a day, shave 4-5 times per week with it, and generally use it for all of my personal hygiene needs. I was in disbelief but it has been the best solution so far. Plus, it really cuts down on the stuff you gotta buy for the bathroom.
posted by jdstef at 7:18 PM on July 7, 2005

Hmm, I never really wash my face unless it has dirt on it. My complexion is good, no acne to speak of, and I'm not grubby looking.
posted by tomble at 7:23 PM on July 7, 2005

IMO one of the big mistakes we make in North America is to wash with soap too often: our skin (and hair) just isn't meant for that kind of abuse.

I shower every few days, depending on whether I've been working up a sweat or getting grimy/dusty. Thus, I also give my face a quick soap (Ivory, this week) and shave. And wash my hair.

It seems to be quite enough to keep me from smelling or looking offensive.

I suggest you, and most everyone, experiment with giving your skin/hair a break from detergents and soaps.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:30 PM on July 7, 2005

I think skin care needs are variable person to person and environment to environment. I need to do a lot more washing in humid/hot weather than I do in dry/cold. I have to exfoliate and use alpha hydrox product or I break out like a teenager. If my SO uses the same products I do her face dries out so bad it bleeds.

I am quite impressed by Neutrogena products.
posted by Carbolic at 9:49 PM on July 7, 2005

I usually use the Neutrogena oil-free acne wash, which I think is called different things in different countries. It's orange goop with salicylic acid (similar to aspirin). Works pretty well, and not quite as harsh as benzoyl peroxide. I'd try it, if I were you. Doesn't take any longer than your previous regime.

Sometimes I go on a trip and forget to/can't bring it. In the past I have used standard soap. Result: total breakout. Don't do it.
posted by grouse at 1:29 AM on July 8, 2005

I have suffered from more breakouts since I hit 30, than I ever did in my teens/20's - I have recently discovered the new Loreal range of mans products....including the daily facewash (which I use in the shower) and the anti-grease mosturiser which I use straight after.

Its added 30 secs to my daily routine - but its made a world of difference.
posted by mattr at 3:42 AM on July 8, 2005

I'd try Lush products. Lush's Fresh Farmacy is my favorite.

www.lush.com
posted by k8t at 5:18 AM on July 8, 2005

I have a slight adult acne problem but it's getting better now that I'm hooked on the Olay Daily Facials, they're soapy disposable cleansing cloths. I have a strange theory that my old method (cleansing gel, washcloth) just kept reinfecting my skin and making it worse. They're kind of expensive ($6 for 30) but I only use them at night to take off makeup and I got two huge megapacks of them at Costco.
posted by superkim at 5:52 AM on July 8, 2005

Water. Face towel. Scrub lightly.
posted by chrominance at 8:14 AM on July 8, 2005

(superkim, you can actually cut those facial cloths in half -- I find they're still big enough to clean comfortably that way, and then they last twice as long. Something to do while watching TV, in any event.)

Basically, drying out your face with harsh soap makes it go into overdrive to rehydrate itself, which can cause zits and blackheads and such. Gentle cleanser (like Cetaphil) + moisturizer should balance it out over time.

A number of sites I just looked at recommend water-only in the morning, then actual cleansing at night. That might be a good compromise.
posted by occhiblu at 8:37 AM on July 8, 2005

The only thing that works for me is Neutrogena fragrance free. Not the acne cleansing one - the regular face soap.

After years of dermatologists, antibiotics, retin-A, benzoyl peroxide in 5, 10 and 15% strengths, I discovered on my own that I was overdrying my face terribly and that the dry, de-oiled skin was actually more susceptible to infection.

Twice a day with Neutrogena FF keeps my face clear. I started using it on my skin, too, and now nearly any other soap makes me break out.
posted by ikkyu2 at 12:24 PM on July 8, 2005

I use dove soap, which contains moisturizer and is very gentle. It gets rid of the excess oil so I don't look greasy but it doesn't dry things out enough to cause irritation. I use it in the shower too. For me, acne washes are too strong.
posted by mai at 2:59 PM on July 8, 2005