Water-only cleansing after TCA peel?
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free skin care · Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:16 am

I just did a 3 layer 12.5% TCA peel (not my first, from MUAC). In the past, I've always cleansed with the green tea soap they included, but I was wondering about just using water-only. With my hands, I think, not a wash-cloth as I think even a soft one would be too abrasive.

Has anyone ever tried that?

free skin care · Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:33 am

No, I haven't. I haven't tried TCA, but with Lactic Acid, I only use water.

free skin care · Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:36 am

Water won't get rid of bacteria which will be deposited on your face from your hair, pillows, clothing, hands, nails, embracing others ... Given ideal conditions bacteria can double in number as fast as every twenty minutes.

free skin care · Fri Oct 14, 2011 2:16 am

I just wanted to clarify, I meant water-only as my cleansing routine post peel... not water only just the first time after the peel.

@firefox: I do understand that after a peel, the epidermal barrier is compromised and that might be an issue... but still, the soap and water I use are not antibacterial nor sterile (respectively) and anywise, there is plenty of time for the bacterial to reproduce in between the twice day washings recommended post peel. plus, i use neosporin for the first 48 hours

the reason I asked in the first place was because the people with the most beautiful skin that I have ever know, young and mature, are all water-only (its not as odd as it sounds, this is really common in certain cultures: some latin american and arabic are the ones i am familiar with)

i thought it was maybe genetic, but it also may be because they never did use anything... many of my w-o friends say that their mothers taught them as young girls to never use soap on any of their skin except the underarms and private areas/ bottom. They told me that their mothers taught them that it would ruin their skin...

I tried in my late twenties, but it didn't work, then again I had been on the cleanser/product cycle for 27 something years by then...

I was thinking that this fresh skin post peel might be my chance to try! But I don't want a mountain of acne and clogged pores to give me hyperpigmentation either (I can get that from acne, even if I don't pick).

What say you peel experts out there?

free skin care · Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:30 am

Not any expert but... I haven't used soap or strong/complicated cleansers on my face in quite a while and believe that using it was the WORST thing I was ever doing to my oily skin. Now that my skin is balanced, using soap SERIOUSLY messes it up, so I know.

I need something to remove my makeup and the oil that accumulates through the day (just because I use sunscreen, primer, & foundation, so oil is trapped under it), so I use ocm oils to break all that down and dislodge it. Or I may use a gentle, uncomplicated cleanser and use VERY GENTLY (WITHOUT pressing or massaging into the skin) just to remove the surface oil/dirt - and then rinse or steam w/a microfibre cloth to gently wipe off and remove. Morning, just water & the cloth.

I totally believe that most people can get away with using water alone. Most of our problems/oil production comes from our skin trying to "push away" the crap we put on it or the irritation we do to it. I've built up tolerence to the microfibre, which I use to steam my face/loosen my stubborn buildup and then exfoliate, and I'm happy with that. And I know that the oils & cleanser ingredients I use GENTLY to remove surface gunk doesn't piss off my skin.

And for ME to say this, a life long oily, acne sufferer, with stubborn congestion, surprises even myself who always believed my skin was dirty and writhing in nasty bacterias ready to attack. Now I believe there's nothing evil on my face except what I put there. My natural oils are protecting me and benign and get along well with water or oil which is only needed to sweep away what is old & protecting the surface of my skin so has dirt stuck to it.

I think post-peel is a great time to start fresh and do without product. I'm starting to experiment with peels and try to only use water afterwards. Some of us may need a little something to remove sunscreen or anything else gunky we use, but I've come to believe that water alone is enough to cleanse natural oils - for most people who aren't already compromising their skin with product. It may take a while to get there though, while skin adjusts.

Hopefully this is lucid enough for a 4am post, lol.

free skin care · Fri Oct 14, 2011 5:06 am

I have to agree. Using strong soap on your skin is not a good idea. In general, I use gentle soap with Clarisonic brush to do a deep and proper cleaning. If I don't wear makeup, I just use water, then exfoliate and rinse. Sometimes with no makeup, you still have to use soap, but I normally use Cetaphil and it doesn't appear to dry out my skin.
I've stopped using physical scrubs and get professional microdermabrasian & peels.

free skin care · Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:37 am

UmEnis wrote:

I just wanted to clarify, I meant water-only as my cleansing routine post peel... not water only just the first time after the peel.

@firefox: I do understand that after a peel, the epidermal barrier is compromised and that might be an issue... but still, the soap and water I use are not antibacterial nor sterile (respectively) and anywise, there is plenty of time for the bacterial to reproduce in between the twice day washings recommended post peel. plus, i use neosporin for the first 48 hours

What say you peel experts out there?

I'm not a peel expert but I did train in pharmacy and microbiology many moons ago. Please be assured I am not against the concept of water-only or oil-only cleansing for healthy skin; indeed I limit my own skin's exposure to sulphate surfactants and I don't use alkaline soaps at all. Cool

Soap and soap solutions are an inhospitable environment for bacteria by their very nature: you don't need antimicrobial ingredients for surfactants to emulsify bacterial cell membranes. Water alone will not remove product residue, shed skin cells, plasma exudate nor the dust mite poop that adheres to it - all of which can provide the 'food' bacteria need to grow. You should also be aware that not all antimicrobials actively kill bacteria (bactericidal), some simply prevent growth for a limited period of time (bacteriostatic). So if you apply them over an infection that is already beginning to take hold or they don't touch the colony your Neosporin may be ineffective! For these reasons thorough cleansing is an integral part of modern wound care - a field that is founded on decades of research.

If you remain unwilling to cleanse your wounds regularly, please seal them with a sterile flexible gel dressing as soon as possible after you complete the peel. You can purchase dressings intended to remain in place for several days - they are basically artificial scabs.

HTH. Confused

free skin care · Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:46 am

Hi Firefox,

Your comments are very helpful & informative.

What facial cleansers do you recommend for daily use?

free skin care · Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:32 am

@ firefox, so about how long would you think I need to wait after a light-med peel to stop using soap? i have had no oozing obviously, there was light frosting on most areas...

if im understanding you correctly, the water only wouldn't be an issue on intact skin

free skin care · Fri Oct 14, 2011 1:48 pm

summer2004 wrote:

Hi Firefox,

Your comments are very helpful & informative.

What facial cleansers do you recommend for daily use?

Now that is putting me on the spot bearing in mind I am not even in the US! Laughing

IMO that depends on your skin type (not necessarily the reaction to your current routine) and your lifestyle (work, gym habits, pollution, cosmetics). If possible avoid cleansers based on sulphate surfactants or traditional alkaline soaps. These are irritants so can cause dehydration and/ or oiliness, so manufacturers adds loads of unnecessary ingredients to combat this. Research even suggests sulphates damage the skin with regular use! HOWEVER if the product was prescribed by your dermatologist, you have a dirty job or wear heavy make up you may need these powerful cleansers.

Just choose a cleanser with a limited number of ingredients, based around natural oils (no mineral oil/ petrolatum) or gentle surfactants such as caprylyl capryl glucoside or cocoamidopropyl betaine. Weleda offer cleansing lotions based on sweet almond oil, you might try blending your own oil mix or sourcing a traditional cold cream. Look for companies formulating a gentle sulphate-free face wash or shower gel base, the type of simple product designed for smaller enterprises to add oils, colours and fragrances to. I found a cheap cleansing lotion and eye make up remover called Derma V10 that follow my 'rules' but this range may be Europe only. I then exfoliate with a muslin cloth or dilute lactic acid which avoids adding in more products with yet more harsh ingredients.

UmEnis wrote:

@ firefox, so about how long would you think I need to wait after a light-med peel to stop using soap? i have had no oozing obviously, there was light frosting on most areas...

if im understanding you correctly, the water only wouldn't be an issue on intact skin

You could compromise with a gentler surfactant than that in the average soap or face wash - sulphates are as stripping as soap unfortunately. In your shoes I'd use a surfactant twice daily for at least as long as you have been advised to use the Neosporin, then reassess your own healing. You might then be able to drop down to daily, with water only/ oil only the other once a day. Ideally you want the acid mantle/ stratus corneum to be functional before you quit using a surfactant. If you still have flaking or soreness or a 'breakout' you know your skin is not healed.

Water-only is low risk for infections on intact skin, tho you will probably want to find a non-chemical way of exfoliating such as microfibre or muslin cloths. Obviously change these daily as they won't be being cleansed by your face wash IYSWIM. Bear in mind these techniques may not be compatible with modern serums/ moisturisers/ cosmetics but may have been 'developed' alongside shea butter or coconut oil instead. Crying or Very sad

free skin care · Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:19 am

Firefox,

What do you think?

Ingredients:
Purified Water, PEG-4000, cetostearyl alcohol, sodium cocolyisethionate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, citric acid, methylparaben, proplyparaben, butylparaben, fragrance

free skin care · Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:49 am

I generally wash with water when using Lactic/Glycolic peels but am quite hesitant to do the same with a TCA peel. I can tell you it's never been a problem with the other two AHA peels though so it might not be as bad but then it's a risk your probably better off not taking.

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