Clean skin is healthy skin. And healthy skin is clear, vibrant, and youthful looking. Washing your skin daily is not the only consideration you should take into your skin care routine to ensure healthy skin, it’s important to also be aware of what you are using to clean your skin with.
Mimi Chatter, an online authority of beauty and fashion recently published an article discussing the hidden bacteria breeding grounds that often develop on facial towels. Here’s what Mimi Chatter’s Caitlin Miller has to say in her article “Is it Time to Stop Letting Your Towel Touch Your Face?”
“Towels are a bathroom staple, no matter who you are. From using them each morning post-shower to dabbing our faces after an at-home spa treatment, using a towel is a necessity. But towels are also a breeding ground for bacteria and germs — bacteria that can cause breakouts and worse, the icky stuff that can lead to serious health issues.”
Why does bacteria thrive on your face towel?
Due to specific environmental elements, such as a warm and humid climate and looped fabrics face towels are especially vulnerable to developing bacteria. Mimi Chatter sources a a recent study that detected E coli and other bacteria on reusable cloth towels. Bacteria such as this can cause acne break outs, staph infections, impetigo, fungal infections and more.
Can dirty face towels cause acne?
To learn more about how dirty face towels can lead to acne breakouts, Mimi Chatter interviews SKINNEY Medspa owner, Adriana Martino, a licensed esthetician and skin care expert.
“According to Adriana Martino, founder of NYC’s SKINNEY Medspa, one of the number one ways of getting a breakout is through bacteria trapped in pores. Using an unclean face or body towel can spread bacteria, cause build-up on skin and leave you with nothing but blemishes and breakouts to show for it.”
Adriana Martino’s advice to the readers of Mimi Chatter is forthright “you should never share your bath or facial towels with anyone as you can increase your risk of cross-share bacteria. She points out conjunctivitis, the bacteria behind pink eye, is another type of cross-share bacteria passable through unsanitary conditions.”
How to keep your face towel clean
So what changes should you make to your skin care routine to ensure your facial towels are actually cleaning your skin and not spreading bacteria that leads to acne breakouts?
Mimi Chatter provides some simple suggestions:
- Wash your body towels at least once or twice a week. Wash your face towels after every one to two uses.
- Tip for Washing Face Towels:
Facial towels can be washed by hand or in a washing machine. If washing by hand use hot water and bleach. Make sure to let the towel dry completely before folding it up. If you opt for the washing machine route, ensure you use detergents that are skin friendly. These “free and clear” detergents are void of the fragrances that can sometimes irritate the skin.
- Tip for Washing Face Towels:
- Store your face towel in a dry ventilated area. Many people keep their face towels hanging in the shower, unknowing that the warm and damp environment is the ideal incubator of bacteria.
- Don’t use a sponge or Loofah. These porous materials are far bigger bacteria traps than your traditional cloth face towel.
Learn more about Acne Treatments from SKINNEY Medspa here. >>
