professional skin care products

If you list the things you use on a daily basis in order of usage frequency, it is highly likely that toothpaste and shampoo will top your list. Most people would be hard - pressed to believe that toothpaste and shampoo can cause acne breakouts. However, when you look at things more carefully, it becomes obvious that both shampoo and toothpaste come into contact with our skin on a regular basis. As we are brushing our teeth, we inadvertently smear toothpaste around our mouth. Shampoo also touches our facial skin while we shower. These seemingly non - threatening encounters ultimately take a toll on our skin.

Toothpaste and shampoo both contain a chemical known as sodium lauryl sulfate. SLS is designed to help soap lather in the presence of water impurities. By impurities, we are referring to the large number of minerals often found in the public water supply. An overwhelming part of the United States receives hard water, or water that is high in mineral content. These minerals interfere with soap ' s ability to provide an adequate cleaning effect. Instead of soap forming a lather, it forms soap scum. To mitigate this problem, most skin care product manufacturers make extensive use of SLS in their products.

While it may seem that SLS is the perfect fix, it is anything but that. Studies have confirmed that SLS triggers skin irritation. This irritation can aggravate acne, bringing about breakout after breakout. There is little interest in substituting SLS with a more suitable additive. It is cheap to incorporate into products and goes by literally unnoticed by those who suffer from acne. The safety of SLS is a touchy issue. Some have gone as far as saying that it is carcinogenic. This statement is not the least bit surprising considering the fact that it is classified as a pesticide, and used in industrial cleaning products such as engine degreaser.

If you suspect that SLS may be contributing to your acne breakouts, it is recommended that you check your current shampoo and toothpaste labels carefully. If you notice that this additive is present, you should consider switching to an alternative product. Toothpaste tends to be a double offender in that it also contains fluoride. This is the chemical contained in our public water supply and used extensively in dentist ' s office that purportedly strengthens tooth enamel. It has been linked to the development of acne around the mouth. So, as far as toothpaste is concerned, it may be beneficial to switch to an SLS - free product that is also non - fluoridated. You can discuss concerns with your dentist.