Avoid These Skincare Products Now

Avoid These Skincare Products Now

At Your Laser Skin Care, we receive plenty of questions about daily skincare and health. We often get asked about proper hygiene. As with anything, sometimes time and further studies help to fully understand a product or service. In other words, longtime products that have a connotation as being trusted and proven due to their longevity can sometimes be not so safe after all.

Some of today’s major beauty and health products are being studied and being questioned. Various ingredients have come under scrutiny; therefore, consumers should be vigilant about what products they’re using by inspecting the ingredients.

Here is a sampling of some of the products that are now being spotlighted as potentially unsafe:

• Anything “antibacterial” — The issue here is something called triclosan, which is present in antibacterial hand or body soaps, as well as some cosmetics and toothpaste. It’s been connected with hormone disruption and antibiotic resistance, which is eyebrow raising. The problem is that it gets into our water supply and ultimately kills beneficial bacteria. Also, the research isn’t there that proves antibacterial products do anything to aid our health. In fact, it’s good to be a bit dirty in order to keep our immune systems working properly. The FDA has said companies will need to prove their products actually reduce infection and illness risk. Minnesota just banned triclosan, effective in 2017. Another chemical found in antibacterial products is triclocarban. Stay away from this as well. Try to find products with natural antimicrobials that contain sulphur or benzoyl peroxide. To be on the safe side, stick to regular soap and water until more can be understood.
• Microbeads — Microbeads are found in face and body scrubs and are used for the sake of exfoliating skin. But as recent studies have shown, these beads are typically plastic and are making their way through filtration systems and into our water supplies. This is possibly affecting fish and other wildlife. Illinois and other states have banned plastic exfoliants. While it may seem like natural exfoliants are the obvious alternative, doctors note that they can be extra coarse and damage skin.
• Parabens — Parabens are preservatives often found in body washes, shampoos, lotions and other soap products. They keep bacteria from growing. However, this substance permeates our skin and is soaked into our bodies. Studies have shown that parabens may be tied to various cancers and hormone disruption. Parabens can be listed as propylparaben or methylparaben. To avoid this preservative, look for preservative-free products or paraben-free care products. Be mindful of expiration dates on paraben-free products, however.