When most people think of silicone, they immediately think of silicone gel-filled breast implants. However, what they don’t know is that silicone can often be found in their beauty products. This silicone can actually cause a lot of problems with your skin, which is why so many experts recommend finding silicone-free beauty products.
But why is silicone such a problem?
Myths about Silicone
It has long been believed that silicone – being made of mineral components – can cause allergic reactions or irritate your skin. However, that is pretty much just a myth, and the truth is that the mineral components used to make the silicone are very unlikely to cause allergies. Silicone is used by hospitals simply because it’s so low-risk for allergies.
Another common myth about silicone is that it can clog your pores, but this is not true. Cosmetic grade silicones are made with molecules that are too large to enter your pores, much less clog them. The molecules of silicone are breathable, simply because there is plenty of space between them. There is very low risk of your pores being clogged thanks to silicone.
The Real Dangers of Silicone
Now, silicone can be a danger to those that have very sensitive skin, and there is a very small risk of the silicone causing an irritation. However, the people that suffer a negative reaction to silicone are the kind of people that suffer a negative reaction to just about anything, so silicone isn’t as dangerous as you might expect.
One definite side effect of using silicone is that it will sit on top of the skin and act as a barrier to trap the moisture of the skin. It will prevent the moisture from being evaporated, thus preventing it from dehydrating. However, if there is insufficient moisture in the skin, the silicone will also prevent more from penetrating the skin – thus stopping the skin from being hydrated. Any dirt or bacteria that is present on the skin will be trapped in, which can cause breakouts of acne and other problems. This is possibly where the myth of silicone causing skin breakouts could have come from.
Silicone: Harmful or Not?
The truth is that silicone in beauty products may not be as bad as it is made out to be. The fact that hospitals use silicone in their skin products does show that it is pretty safe, as it is a non-allergenic product that shouldn’t cause skin problems in most cases.
However, the fact that skin breakouts can result from using silicone-based products should be a reason for caution. Avoiding problems with your skin is key, so it’s in your best interest to evaluate your skin care products to see if they will cause you health problems.
Take a few days to really monitor your skin to see how it reacts to your products. If your skin tends to break out in acne, is red or sensitive, or just doesn’t feel right, it may be time to give your skin care regimen a change. You can switch to non-silicone beauty products to see how they affect your skin, and you may find that they work better in your case.
However, keep in mind that finding silicone-free skin care products can be a challenge. While many organic products are made sans silicone, they are often made with other ingredients that can cause allergic reactions. Just eliminating silicone from your skin care regimen may not be the solution to dealing with your skin problems, so it’s important that you consider every option when trying to find out what’s causing your skin to break out in a rash, allergy, or acne.
