I get it, I get it, you want to get rid of blackheads. But before they even come up, pick at those pimples or spots and think you just had a quick fix. Squeezing your blemishes is the worst thing you can do for skin health. You can’t clean your pores by picking and scratching at them. It will only cause acne triggering bacteria to spread all over your skin instead of just one spot.
Don’t worry, we’ve come to you with a host of expert dermatologist advice and opinions about alternatives, and frankly way more hygienic remedies to clean your pores. This is your ultimate guide to pore hygiene.
The Need for Better Cleansing
According to the research conducted & published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology,
Applying cosmetics and long-lasting products necessitates a deeper cleansing of the epidermis. Moreover, it can be difficult to remove makeup, particularly in facial folds, wrinkles, facial pores, and acne scars.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Yikes! So, have we been doing it all wrong? Do we need to use more force to exfoliate if we want to really deep clean our skin? Do we have to hard on our face with more scrubbing and rough cleansing?
Not necessarily, because trying to manually cleanse has its disadvantages too. Using abrasive face washes and exfoliators can tempt you into scrubbing your skin too roughly. So how do we overcome such a dilemma? Well, the study provides a possible answer for that too,
Sonic cleansing brush is significantly more effective in removing makeup than manual cleansing.
A sonic cleansing brush, instead of using my hands? This could potentially solve the need for more vigorous cleaning without harming the skin. We might be onto something here..
Striking the Right Balance between Care & Cleanse
Your skin is probably the most delicate organ of your body and needs to be treated as such. Be it chemical peels or abrasive tools, the risk to your pore health remains. Worse, if done improperly, it can worsen your blocked pores through micro tears, leading to stretching and permanent damage to skin pores.
Scrubbing the skin too aggressively or for too long with anything, whether that be a cleansing brush or washcloth, can damage the skin’s natural acid mantle, which protects the skin from environmental stressors, such as pollution, as well as bacteria and viruses.
Dr. rachel maiman, m.d., general & cosmetic dermatologist at marmur medical
If we consider our usual way of manual exfoliation, I have to be honest that these procedures carry with them chances of injuries similar to those mentioned by Dr. Maiman.
In such a case, we should go with the opinion expressed in medical research, stating the efficacy of cleansing brushes instead of manual work:
The sides of the face cleansed with the sonic brush outperformed the sides of the face cleansed manually in brightness/radiance/luminosity, skin tone evenness, skin texture smoothness, overall appearance of hyperpigmentation, skin clarity/fairness and skin transparency.
by Dr. Maiman
By now, you’re probably wondering where to get your hands on a sonic cleaning brush, as well as which brush to grab!
With the dearth of options out there, we suggest you pay heed to the word of dermatologists while making your pick.
Ultrasonic Exfoliation Tools
Let’s talk sonication for pore hygiene. Ultrasonic skin scrubbers use vibration to wash the skin as they are constructed of metal and employ high-frequency vibrations sent by sound waves to alter skin from cell to cell.
When a skin spatula is used, Cells start ‘talking’ to each other and your pores open wide, so dirt and debris are gently vibrated and scrubbed away.
These ultrasonic skin spatulas can gently exfoliate the skin while also collecting what’s being sheared off when it comes to eliminating dirt and debris.
Cosmetic dermatologist, Dr. Michele Green
The scrubber/spatula trend is a great treatment for those with sensitive, over-reactive, rosacea-prone, or acneic skin types.
While microdermabrasion is a cult classic for deep exfoliation, it uses crystals or a diamond tip, plus negative pressure vacuum suction which can cause redness and can dilate or break capillaries depending on how sensitive someone’s skin is.
Dr. Scott Paviol, experienced dermatologist based in North Carolina, is all praises about ultrasonic tools
For him, one of the most significant advantages of an ultrasonic skin scrubber is that it is one of the gentlest ways of exfoliation available.
Deep Cleansing Brushes
However, if for some reason you would prefer a more hands-on experience, with a satisfying low, soft scrubbing sensation that doesn’t damage your skin, then we would suggest you go for cleaning brushes instead.
Again, I think you should steer clear of too many abrasive washes or using hands due to sanitary issues and go for professional grade tools instead that are made to heal your skin.
Not just constrained to cleansing your skin thoroughly, unblocking pores and taking all the built-up debris off, a good cleansing brush will act as a prep for whatever the next stage of your skincare routine might be.
Whatever brush you choose, make sure of a few tips and keep them in mind, courtesy of Dr. Maiman. Look for a product with softer bristles if it’s your first buy and make sure to go easy on your first tries, no matter how tempting the results may be.
We know you’ll want to scrub for just a little longer….Trust us, and Dr. Maiman, don’t overdo it. Keep in mind that, according to Dr. Maiman, you should replace the brush head every one to two months.
But if you ask me, an easier option would be to go for silicone headed brushes. Cleansing brushes made of silicone rely on little, raised nubs to remove debris. They’re not as stiff as bristles, but they’re also not as permeable, making them the more sanitary choice. Plus, their batteries are the only item that has to be replaced.
Have something to add? Write to us in the comments below. Till then, Stay Glowing!