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Body Wash, Shower Gel, or Bar Soap?

Standing in the skin and beauty aisle at the drugstore store can seem overwhelming. Bar soaps, body washes, and shower gels all compete for your attention and your dollars. How can you find the best soap for your skin?
What you buy is largely a matter of which type of product you like best — with a few exceptions, says Jami Miller, MD, assistant professor of medicine in the department of dermatology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.
Dr. Miller cautions against falling for the advertising that surrounds body washes, bar soaps, and shower gels. Most of the messages in these ads are misleading. Instead, you should consider your skin type, specifically whether your skin tends to be sensitive and dry, or oily. Your bathing habits may actually be more important than the product that you choose: it’s best to use warm instead of hot water when taking a bath and to moisturize immediately after toweling off.

Whether you choose a bar or a bottle, many body cleansers may all have the same effect. These products remove dirt, bacteria, and — unfortunately — some or all of your natural body oils.
“Most soaps and body washes remove the oils that keep skin soft and naturally moisturized. Removing that oil makes your skin dryer,” says Miller. One solution is to look for products that state that they are moisturizing. “Many body washes leave a layer of moisturizer on the skin that helps to replenish the oils removed.”

In a Lather Over Lather
Despite what many bath product commercials may suggest, you do not need a lot of foam to get clean. In fact, avoiding lather might be your best bet, especially if you are worried about dry skin.
“The non-soap cleansers that also do not foam tend to leave more of your natural oils behind and thus are less drying,” explains Miller. “Most people can avoid over-drying their skin by selecting a soap for sensitive skin such as Dove, Aveeno, Cetaphil, or CeraVe, and applying a body lotion to still-damp skin after bathing. This seals the moisture back into your skin and replenishes the oils you removed.”

A Conversation About Film
Miller explains the term “film” can have several different meanings, but we usually think of it as a thin layer of oil deposited by bar soap or body wash. It forms a barrier to seal in moisture and, as long as this doesn’t lead to a breakout or make you feel greasy, it’s perfectly fine. Both soap and body wash can leave a film, she says, adding to beware of soaps that leave no film. Soaps that strip off all your oil, making you feel squeaky clean but leaving no moisture barrier, are harsher than those that leave a film.

If a film bothers you, Miller suggests trying newer formulations of soap, shower gel, body wash, and moisturizers. These “more closely approximate the skin's natural lipids and still leave moisture in the skin, but feel less greasy, so you do not feel a film left behind,” she says.

The Facts About Bar Soap
Many people believe that a simple bar soap is the best body cleanser. However, bar soaps may be unpleasantly drying, says Miller. The most important step you can take is to check the ingredients for lye.
“Deodorant soaps and lye soaps tend to strip the skin’s oils and do not replace them. If your skin is really oily, then that is not a problem,” says Miller. “If you use these relatively harsh soaps and your skin becomes dry, you will need to moisturize afterwards.”
If you like using a bar soap, it’s better to choose a beauty bar, which tends to be more moisturizing that regular bar soaps.

The Best Body Cleanser for You
Though oily skin can withstand the effects of most body wash products, all skin types can benefit from these tips:

• Choose a mild cleanser that does not contain lye.
• Use cool or warm water when bathing, never hot.
• Use a moisturizer immediately after drying off.
• Don’t over-cleanse — this can lead to dryness.
• Watch out for signs of dryness, including redness, itching, and flaking.

If you try several products, moisturize after bathing, and continue to feel dry and uncomfortable, you may need to see a dermatologist for prescription skin care rather than switching to another body cleanser.

Why Does My Skin Itch?

Itchy skin spots can be frustrating as well as annoying, especially when the urge to scratch is hard to resist. Your itchy skin spots can be a simple case of dry skin or part of a skin condition with noticeable signs, like the hives or rash from an allergic reaction. However, in some cases the reason for the itch could be more serious. Diseases as varied as kidney failure, hepatitis, and HIV can cause itching. A mole that starts to itch can be a warning sign of skin cancer.

The Leading Causes of Itchy Skin Spots

The cause of many itchy skin spots can be traced to one of these conditions:

Dry skin. Though you might think of rough, flaky patches as the biggest symptom of dry skin, dry skin can start by feeling itchy. Don’t expect to see a rash, but you can sense tightness as skin loses water.

Eczema. Itchy skin spots may be from eczema or dermatitis, the catch-all name for inflammation of the skin. There are a few types of eczemas or inflammatory skin conditions that cause itchy skin spots:

• Atopic dermatitis. Because it starts before the age of 5 in 90 percent of people, you probably already know if your itchy skin spots are from atopic (allergic) dermatitis. Though it’s a lifelong condition, atopic dermatitis often eases as you get older. Keep in mind that itchy skin spots can occur almost anywhere from feet, ankles, and knees to elbows, hands, and wrists, to the upper chest, neck, face, and even the eyelids.
• Irritant contact dermatitis. This is a reaction to a chemical, like a detergent in dish liquid or solvent. A skin reaction can happen immediately or progressively over time with lots of exposure to the particular irritant.
  • Nickel — found in jewelry, metal snaps and hooks on clothing, earrings, and even the needles used to pierce ears — can cause earlobe dermatitis.
  • Rubber, especially latex, can cause an allergic reaction can include itching, burning, hives, and more serious complications, depending on the severity of your allergy.
  • Dyes (like permanent hair dyes with paraphenylene-diamine) can cause itchy rashes, and chromates (used to dye shoe leather) can cause shoe dermatitis on feet. Chromates are also in some matches, and touching the unlit match can cause a reaction on your fingers.
  • Neomycin, found in topical antibiotic ointments, lotions, creams, eye drops, and ear drops, can cause redness or irritation.
  • Fragrances and preservatives in skin care and other health and beauty products can also be irritating.
• Fungal infections. There are a variety of skin infections due to fungi that cause itching, along with other, more severe symptoms like redness and scaling. Athlete’s foot, jock itch, and ringworm are examples.
• While many conditions that cause itchy skin spots are treated the same way — starting with avoiding the substance that caused the reaction — it’s important to see a dermatologist who can pinpoint which type of dermatitis you have and prescribe the most appropriate treatment.
  Sometimes a diagnosis can be made by the location or pattern of the rash; in other cases, a patch test might be needed, especially if an allergy is suspected. A blood test and an analysis of skin cells are other testing options.
  Whether you have itchy dry skin or another skin condition, tender care is often step one:
  • Avoid soaps and harsh cleansers as well as hot water that can strip skin of protective oils.
  • Apply a rich moisturizer while skin is still damp to create a protective barrier.
  • Choose comfortable, loose clothing in light fabrics and try to keep your indoor temperature on the cool side.
  For many types of dermatitis, itchy skin spots will also need the calming action of a topical corticosteroid, or an immunomodulator medication which decreases the immune response causing the itching. Sometimes an oral antihistamine is needed to stop the histamine-itch reaction. Itchy skin spots that turn out to be a blistering poison ivy, for example, may be soothed with old-fashioned home remedies like an oatmeal bath and calamine lotion. Some people with atopic dermatitis may also have another allergic condition, like asthma or hay fever, as well as food allergies; managing these with the help of an allergist as well as your dermatologist may improve your symptoms. And itching due to a fungal infection must be treated with antifungal medications.
  Avoiding Itchy Skin Triggers
  The key to relief is to stay away from the objects or ingredients that cause the itch. The problem is that being vigilant can be time-consuming, and it’s easy to become lax. However, reading the ingredient lists on beauty products as well as the fiber content on clothes, for instance, will steer you away from the moisturizer with a bothersome fragrance or the sweater that has 5 percent wool, if those are your triggers. After allergy skin testing, your dermatologist should be able to give you a list of your trigger irritants or allergens and possible substitutes. Once you know what troubles your skin, you’ll know how to avoid getting those itchy skin spots.
  
  

Problem Solver: Cracked Nails

Cracked nails can be more than just a cosmetic problem. Strong fingernails help protect the tips of your fingers. They also allow you to pick up small objects, and cracked or brittle nails can make that more difficult. Nails are made up of laminated layers of a protein called keratin. They grow from the nail bed, located under the cuticle, and their growth is slow. In fact, it takes four to six months for a fingernail to completely regenerate.

Healthy nails are smooth, without ridges, grooves, spots, or discolored areas. Many nail conditions are superficial, including spots, which are usually caused by an injury and will eventually grow out, and vertical ridges, which are a normal part of aging. Aging is also a factor in nails becoming more brittle, as is spending too much time with your hands in water (washing dishes, for example, or soaking in the tub).

Preventing Cracked Nails
In most cases, all it takes to keep your nails healthy is an ounce of prevention. Try the following strategies:

• Don’t bite your nails or your cuticles. This can harm the nail bed (the skin beneath the nail). And getting even a small cut next to a fingernail can lead to an infection.
• Trim fingernails with a sharp manicure scissors or clippers so they’re short and rounded on top. But first, soak your fingertips in water or bath oil for a few minutes to soften them. Clip hangnails instead of pulling them off.
• Wear rubber gloves when washing dishes or using harsh cleaning products.
• Avoid spending long periods of time soaking in the tub — long exposure to water can result in brittle nails that peel. If you absolutely must take that nice long bath, keep your hands out of the water.
• Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Apply moisturizer to your nails and cuticles every time you wash your hands, as well as after showers or baths. For extra protection, moisturize your nails at bedtime, then wear cotton gloves to bed.
• Give manicures a pass; the products involved can make nails brittle.
• Apply a nail hardener, but not one that contains toluene sulfonamide or formaldehyde. These can irritate the skin. Use nail glue or clear polish to fix splits to tears.
• Use nail polish remover sparingly. Instead of removing polish, touch it up. When you do need to take off old polish, use polish removers that don’t contain acetone, which can make fingernails dry, resulting in cracked nails.

Contrary to popular myth, eating more protein or calcium doesn’t help strengthen your nails; neither does eating gelatin or soaking your fingertips in it.

Treating Cracked Nails
If self-help doesn’t help, consult your doctor for additional suggestions. Some nail conditions can be a sign of health problem. Nails with yellow discoloration may point to a respiratory condition or an infection beneath the fingernail. Nails pulling away from the nail bed could be a sign of psoriasis or problems with medications. And horizontal depressions may result from an injury or an illness that requires treatment.

In most cases, all cracked nails need is a little TLC. Treat your fingernails to some kindness, and they’ll stay strong and healthy.

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