What is deep cleaning?
Currently, there is no exact definition of deep cleaning. There is no such term in medicine, it is just a term we often encounter verbally and on the Internet.
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So what does deep cleaning mean?
According to the literal meaning, we can try to understand it. It may be said that deep cleaning is to use some cleaning procedures or skin care products to remove dirt, oil and other unnecessary substances from the skin to ensure that the skin is clean enough.
One netizen once experienced deep cleaning. She was tricked into a beauty salon by an aunt who issued VIP cards on the street. The girl at the beauty salon first applied a white paste on her forehead. When the color changed, she said her skin lead level exceeded the standard. After further questioning, I found that she usually washes her face without facial cleanser, only water, which makes her skin very dirty, and there is a lot of garbage accumulation in the lymph nodes, and skin care products cannot be absorbed… The conclusion is to do deep cleansing, shallow cleaning is not enough.
There is no doubt that they are all nonsense. They are essentially trying to make money by creating panic.
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There are many other products that claim to have a deep cleaning effect, such as:
Small bubbles:Use nano-scale bubble water to form a vacuum circuit through vacuum negative pressure, and use negative pressure suction to suck away the oil clogged in the pores and remove mites
Skin cleansing device:Exfoliate, purify pores, absorb oil
Facial steamer:open pores
Risks of Deep Cleaning
Deep cleansing sounds like an attractive concept. It can either remove dirt and oil, or promote cell renewal. It seems to keep our skin away from dirt and look brand new. But we have to pour cold water on it, especially emphasizing its risks:
1. Excessive cleaning:Many deep cleansing products use alkaline soap-based products (such as facial cleansing soaps, beauty soaps) or excessive exfoliation (such as scrubs, massage creams), which can easily lead to over-cleansing of the skin and remove necessary sebum films and intercellular lipids. , affecting skin health.
2. Destroy the skin barrier:The sebum on the skin surface forms our chemical barrier, which contains many natural moisturizing factors. Frequent deep cleansing or products containing irritating ingredients can easily destroy the skin barrier, leading to dry, flaky, tight, itchy, and other problems.
3. Sensitive skin:Deep cleansing products can cause skin to become sensitive if used incorrectly. There are a large number of people with sensitive skin, and many people suffer from it due to excessive use or abuse of products.
In fact, our skin does not need to be spotless, and deep cleansing often represents overdoing it.
Take the small bubbles above as an example. Small bubbles may indeed remove mites, but almost all adults have individual mites in their skin pores. They are peaceful with us and do not need to care about them.
In addition to mites, the skin also contains a large number of bacteria, viruses and fungi, which constitute the skin's microecology. No matter what we think, they are the components of our healthy skin.
It is easy to see that in order to keep your skin healthy, it is recommended to cleanse moderately, choose products suitable for your skin type, and do not use excessive force.
Tips for Cleansing Facial Skin
You can refer to the 6 steps of the American Academy of Dermatology:
Step 1: Use a gentle, alcohol-free, non-abrasive cleansing product (such as facial cleanser);
Step 2: Wet your face with warm water and apply cleansing product with your fingertips;
Step 3: There is no need to scrub the skin vigorously as scrubbing can irritate the skin;
Step 4: Then rinse with warm water and pat dry with a soft towel;
Step 5: If your skin feels dry or itchy after cleansing, apply a moisturizer;
Step 6: Wash your face twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Wash your face in time after sweating.
Washing your face really doesn’t have to be complicated, sometimes, “less is more”.
The above are the main ideas for cleansing. If we are intentional, we can make the details more “refined”:
1. Smooth your hair before washing your face to avoid getting cleansing products on it
2. Wash your hands before washing your face
3. Give priority to warm water, which is better than cold water.
4. If you find that there is still foam remaining, rinse again and then wipe clean.
5. Pay more attention to the hairline and chin area, as they may not be cleaned properly.
6. Try not to mix face towels with bath towels
7. If you have acne or acne, it is more recommended to use oil-free products (including moisturizing products)
It can be seen that apart from the most commonly used facial cleansing products such as facial cleansers, there is basically no need for other fancy tools and products when washing your face. Also be careful not to neglect cleaning too much. Some people don’t like to take a bath, wash their hair, or wash their face, especially when they stay at home and don’t see anyone else. This is another extreme. If you wash your face too few times or wash it too sloppily, your skin will easily accumulate excess oil and dust, and you will be more likely to have acne, folliculitis, and lipid microfilaments (small black spots on your nose). These problems are sometimes caused by laziness.
Some incorrect facial cleansing practices
1. Use hot water:Overheated water (such as water above 43 or 44°C) will excessively remove fat, destroy the sebum film, and damage the skin barrier.
2. Wash your face without washing the towel:In fact, towels should be washed frequently and dried in a well-ventilated environment to reduce the risk of bacterial growth. Another detail is that towels will become hard and rough after being used for a long time, so remember to replace them with new ones in time.
3. Always use clean water:If the temperature is hot, the working and living environment is poor, you use sunscreen or powder or oil cosmetics, or have other special circumstances, it is recommended to use cleansing products.
4. Exfoliate frequently:Products such as scrubs contain fine particles that rub against the skin to remove surface dead skin cells. However, excessive use can easily lead to skin sensitivity, dilation of dermal blood vessels and some subjective discomfort. If necessary, it is recommended to use it once every 2 to 4 weeks, and do not use it in combination with other exfoliating creams.
references
[1] AAD. Face washing. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/face-washing-101
[2] Skin Cosmetology Development Working Committee of the Dermatologist Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association. Guide to Skin Cleansing in China[J]. Chinese Journal of Dermatology. 2016; 49 (8): 537-540.
[3]How to wash your face. https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/face-washing-how-to