Why You Should Never Put Toothpaste On Your Spots
We called in the experts on this much-debated beauty faux-pas
Can you think of any skin blunder more inconvenient than waking up to a sudden pimple? You drink gallons of water, you triple-wash your skin every night but wake up on the morning of a big date or important work meeting and chances are you’ll have a new friend on your face.
We’ve all been there, and there’s nothing more tempting than seeking out a quick fix but if you’re about to reach for the toothpaste then we recommend you stop right now because experts say this could actually do more harm than good.
An old beauty wives’ tale that goes way back to our school days, it’s a skincare hack we’ve all been guilty of trying. We spoke to Debbie Thomas, skincare specialist and founder of the D.Thomas Clinic to debunk the myth once and for all.
Imax Tree
“The skin is the biggest organ in the body and it has a delicate ecosystem that requires management to keep it healthy in today’s not so skin-friendly modern life,” Debbie told Harper’s BAZAAR Arabia. “Most skincare products are made with this balance in mind – think PH levels, ingredients that penetrate down to work on the deeper issues rather than disrupting the barrier function – and surprisingly toothpaste doesn’t tick any of the skin health boxes.”
“Every toothpaste now has such different ingredients it’s hard to even guess which ones may have a slight benefit or not. Over the years I’ve seen burnt skin from toothpaste application – it leaves the skin red scally and sore. If the barrier function becomes comprised you actually open up the skin to a higher chance of infection and also slower recovery.”
Debbie Thomas
So why do so many women and girls around the country so often reach for the white stuff?
“It’s down to triclosan which is antibacterial and antifungal. It is in some, but not all toothpaste,” explains Debbie. “Triclosan in toothpaste is in the right percentage for managing bacteria in the mouth but won’t be in a formulation or delivery system to allow it to penetrate into the skin so it can work on the bacteria deep in the pores, basically making it ineffective for spot zapping.”
Instead, Debbie recommends investing in a dedicated spot product that contains all the right ingredients to tackle your spots once and for all.
“Look for products containing salicylic acid and mandelic acid, or if you want an antibacterial, get a prescription from your GP,” she told BAZAAR.
“Alternatively get a deep pore cleansing clay mask and dab a bit of that on overnight as this will have a drying effect. Medik8 clay mask contains mild acids combined with traditional purifying clays all specifically designed for the skin.”