Five Reasons Loofahs Are Bad For Your Skin
We all know that loofahs are the most used bath tool around the world. Despite their popularity, there's a lot of concerning issues about the use of loofahs in your shower routine. Take a look at our five reasons why loofahs are bad for your skin.
1. Loofahs Breed Bacteria
There's a reason why this is number one on the list. Loofahs can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Yuck! Due to the material of the product, these sponges take a long time to dry, which allows bacteria to multiply the longer it's wet quickly. Additionally, loofahs tend to have various nooks and crannies that are dense and deep within the sponge. Loofahs create a continually moist environment within itself that puts you at risk of infection with diseases from microorganisms such as Pseudomonas Aeruginosa. Sounds scary, right? This pesky bacteria can infect areas of broken skin from shaving or even cause blisters on the body. These microorganisms feed off of the dead skin cells on the surface of your loofah.
2. They Are Hard To Keep Clean
The fact is, loofahs are just very unsanitary. They set you further back than ahead in your shower routine. What makes things even worse is that most people cease to replace their loofahs once a month (recommended). Most likely, people don't bother to clean their loofahs every week, which is suggested by the experts. Also, the options for cleaning them are not the most convenient and can make them useless. With all the germs and bacteria they breed, there is no point in to fight that battle.
The longer you use a loofah, it increases the build-up of bacteria from past showers. Dr. Michele Green, M.D., New York-based board-certified dermatologist, stated that when using loofahs, "You spread the bacteria that you washed off your body the last time. The loofah is spreading yesterday's dirt back on your body." Defeats the purpose of showering, doesn't it? Harmful bacteria that has been growing from several weeks or months of use is continuously in contact with your skin. Yeah, no thanks, we like to keep it clean over here at LUV SCRUB. Without frequent and consistent replacement of loofahs, bacteria continue to grow, which can have detrimental effects on your health. This is one of the biggest reasons why loofahs are bad for your skin. If you can't clean it properly, do you want it to touch your skin?
3. Loofahs Can Cause Skin Issues
The bacteria that live on these bathing sponges can cause new skin issues or worsen prior skin conditions. One of those skin conditions that can occur is Folliculitis, which are infected hair follicles. They usually appear as red bumps under or near your follicles. The bacteria that grow on loofahs can get trapped, leading to inflamed bumps. People who shave are at a higher risk for infections from bacteria due to the potential cuts that can occur from shaving. Old loofahs used on the body can spread germs to areas of the skin that are especially vulnerable to infection. Your best off not using a loofah to avoid this whole situation.
Additionally, other skin conditions, like body acne, can be inflamed by the use of loofahs. The bacteria on loofahs could lead to the start of new breakouts. This is the last thing you'd want, especially if you're already suffering from body acne.
Loofahs can put your health at risk. The health concerns for this sponge has been around since the 1990s. The Journal of Clinical Microbiology, published in 1994, reported a study of their experiments on loofahs and their connections to bacteria. The study claimed that "bacterial overgrowth of loofah sponges and other bath tools takes place overnight." In addition to bacteria, fungi love the moist and wet environment of loofahs. Mold is one type of fungi that can grow in loofahs. It's common for people also to have allergic reactions when their skin comes in contact with mold spores. Redness and itchiness are frequent symptoms of this fungus. As you can see, they can be sneaky culprits. People may not realize that loofahs could be contributing to their skin issues.
4. No Real Benefits
There are no benefits to using these sponges. The primary purpose of a loofah is to clean the skin; however, they do the exact opposite. As we have mentioned prior, the germs from the shower sponge prevent you from actually cleaning yourself. They also do not have any exfoliating capabilities. Not being able to reach your back is another challenge. Since they can't reach this area, you have to purchase additional tools such as back scrubbers to accomplish this task. When you neglect it, acne can flare up, which is a common issue. When choosing a shower tool, the ultimate goal should always be to have clean and clear skin. Your bath tools should also make it easy for you.
5. Loofahs Are Just GROSS
All types of loofahs (natural/synthetic) can harbor germs and can turn change colors, grow mold, and harbor bacteria. Many dermatologists don't recommend using them in your skincare routine, because of the germs and health issues that can occur from these sponges. We said it before, and we will repeat it, YUCK!
You're Also Wasting Your Money
You're throwing money out the window by adding additional products to achieve cleaning your entire body. Think about this. Loofahs should be replaced every month (12 times per year). The costs can quickly add up. The average loofah is $4, and a year's worth of loofahs can be $48! Back scrubbers and body scrubs, can increase your spending from $60-$100+ every year. What makes things even worse is that these tools aren't sanitary. Toss the loofah.
After reading all of this information, some of you may be mourning your loofahs. You might be thinking to yourself, "Well, what do I use to exfoliate my body with now?" We wouldn't leave you without any alternatives for exfoliation during your shower routine. The LUV SCRUB is a perfection solution for your exfoliating needs. Why do we love it? The drying process is fast, and it comes at an affordable price for $18. This product only needs to be replaced every 18 months.
The Bottom Line is...
Loofahs are bad for your skin. After reading all these five reasons, we firmly believe that you should avoid them. These shower tools do more harm than good to your skin.
THE NAKED TRUTH blog aims to educate readers on health and skincare while providing information that is straightforward and honest.
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LUV SCRUB is the original mesh body exfoliator. An enhanced version of the authentic African net sponges used for generations. Shop for yours here and say hello to smoother, softer skin. Tell your friends! (You can thank us later).
