We’re always on the lookout for better products to take care of our skin — to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, breakouts and other things that prematurely age us. But one of the biggest enemies of healthy, younger-looking skin could be hiding out in your face wash.
Microbeads have been a common ingredient in many exfoliates and face scrubs for quite some time, used to encourage sloughing off of dry dead skin cells and cleaning out clogged pores. But most microbeads are plastic-based, and using them can actually leave tiny tears in the skin, leaving it more susceptible to bacteria.
Microbeads are also bad news for the environment. They’re made of a type of non-biodegradable plastic derived from fossil fuels that, as they get washed down bath sinks and shower drains, end up polluting local lakes and rivers, and damaging local water sources. They’re also small enough to be ingested by fish, and if those fish are introduced as food to people, we may end up ingesting them, too.
Microbeads are so damaging, in fact, that in 2015, the federal government signed the Microbead-Free Waters Act, which prohibits the sale of products that contain microbeads as part of their ingredients or formula.
If you’re looking for a safer way to exfoliate, seek out naturally-derived or organic products and become familiar with the ingredients on the label. Organic, naturally-derived products have microbeads that are sourced from nature, rather than skin-harming, environment-harming plastics.
To learn more about safe, effective ways to turn back the clock on aging, schedule an appointment with Kalos Facial Plastic Surgery today.
