Ally asks…I heard that when you are washing a way conditioner in the shower it comes in contact with your body’s skin and may cause clogged pores (same goes if it runs down your face) and cause breakouts. So now I make sure to shower after I wash out the conditioner. Is it ridiculous?
The Right Brain replies:
It certainly depends on the comedogencity potential of all the ingredients in the formula. (Remember that comedogenicity is a the measure of how likely a given ingredient, or blend of ingredients, is to cause clogged pores.) But given the fact that the ingredients would be diluted down as they’re rinsed from your hair and that the contact time with your skin would be so brief, I find that hard to imagine.
Also since your entire body is wet from the shower your skin will have absorbed about as much moisture as it can. Therefore there isn’t much drive (aka an osmotic gradient) for the ingredients to be absorbed into your skin as they run down your body toward the drain. I’m not saying it’s impossible but it seems very unlikely.
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What do YOU think? Have you noticed that certain conditioners clog your pores? Leave a comment and share your experiences with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I have a question about comedogenicity. Do you know of any thorough studies comparing a lot of common skin care ingredients and their comedogenicity? I have been able to find a few sites listing more and less comedogenic ingredients, but I can’t seem to find any references on these sites.
@Nicci: As you noted there are sites that compare the comedogenic potential of specific ingredients. The problem is specific ingredients don’t necessarily predict what the final product will do. We haven’t seen any resources comparing different products which is what Is really needed.
When I use conditioner I get zits on my scalp and hairline. Its disgusting and it pisses me off and I hate it.
I agree with Beauty Brains – I couldn’t imagine a rinse out conditioner as a culprit of acne. However, leave-in products may be a different story.
I find it impossible that the conditioner we use can clog our skin pores. I also believe that since our skin is wet or soaked in water, it has no capability of absorbing any other elements. One thing that I know about conditioners, they make the hair thin because of their strong formulation. In my case, I do not use conditioner anymore because I have noticed that falling hair becomes severe.
The most popular comedogenicity scale floating around the internet is based on topical application to a rabbit ear….So you pretty much have to try ingredients one at a time to see what works with your skin and what doesn’t. A rabbit’s ear is not the same as your face!
It has happened to me and my clients. The majority of hair products leave a residue. This residue runs down in sweat trails, or on your pillowcase. I only know of one brand with no residue. Living proof.
I think some conditioners do cause break-outs, but maybe not necessarily due to clogged pores, but more due to allergic reaction…