Antibacterial soaps and liquids are out on the market. Are they really useful or plain soap and water sufficient to clean with?
Answer:
Most antibacterial soaps are about the same and habe triclosan or tricloban. They do a pretty good job and decreasing bacterial counts, but vary by thier irritancy levels. Many soaps, notably Dial, have reformulated in recent years to make less drying, irritating varieties. I generally specify unscented soaps to my patients to avoid common allergens, but that's not necessarily a problem for you or many others who are not sensitive to fragrances. enm
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Forgive the spelling, but alpha hydroxy - what is it and what does it do? Seems popular for skin care.
Answer:
This is the hottest molocule in cosmetics these days. That is, these are the hottest molecules. Lactic and glycolic acids are the most commonly used and best researched alpha hydroxy acids being used on the skin. They are sometimes called fruit acids because they are present in fruits. At a simple level, they decrease the "stickiness" of the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin and hope to cause a "smoothing" effect. Lactic acid is particularly good as a moisturizer and softener of very rough and scaly skin. Glycolic acids are really getting a lot of airplay for their reported ability to help people look younger. The hype is definitely there, but there may be some truth to some of the hype after all. More research is beginning to show up that suggests that some changes in the skin after application of higher concentrations of glycolic acid may be enough to account for significant visual changes in skin texture and dermal (deeper skin) substance. I suggest a combination of skepticism, experimentation, and frugality (many Dermatologists can sell you higher concentrations of glycolic acid for much less than you can get at a cosmetic counter). Good luck in the search for the fountain of youth. enm
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Dermatology Online: Served by Eliot N. Mostow, MD, MPH
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