Clean

Should I stop showering? Should I stop using soap and shampoo? Is what I’m using actually soap? These are some questions posed by James Hamblin, a trained physician who also has a degree in public health, in his book Clean. It’s a breezy read, consisting mainly of anecdotes and vignettes as Hamblin interviews various folks about soaps, creams, cosmetics, dermatology, pharmaceuticals, microbiology, allergens, and more. No, you don’t need a vast scientific background, and the book itself is not heavy on such details.

 

The most interesting part was learning about the skin microbiome. The gut usually gets all the attention; and the health-products market is bursting with the latest and greatest in improving your gut microbiome. Hamblin thinks the tide is shifting and that caring for your skin microbiome could be the next big thing. He makes a good case for this by tracing the evolution of skin-care products over the years. The trajectory can be summarized by “less is more”. Cut out the soapy alkaline products and the constant washing away of what might be “good” microbes.

 

Hamblin doesn’t think that probiotics will make as much headway in the skin microbiome industry (as it did for the gut), partly because the penetrability of skin through topical use is limited. It’s difficult for oral probiotics to be appropriately directed towards the skin cells. Nor do I think most folks would want a bunch of subcutaneous jabs either, but I might be wrong on that. However, Hamblin thinks that there might be a market for prebiotics – not live bacteria, but chemicals that promote the flourishing of the “good” bacteria that already make their home on your skin. As a chemist who studies the origin-of-life, also known as prebiotic (“before life”) chemistry, I foresee much confusion in the near future when explaining my research area; akin to my cosmology friends who are thought to be knowledgeable in cosmetology. Or worse, astronomers who are confused as astrologers.

 

When visiting a department store, I steer away from the cosmetics and skin-health areas, where salespersons try to spray you with stuff. I don’t like the smells, the bright lights, and the many mirrors. I’m generally ignorant about the skin care industry, so it was eye-opening to read behind-the-scenes stories of health conventions where Hamblin chats up a variety of people I would normally avoid meeting. I should educate myself more in this area. There’s some interesting chemistry, particular in the chapter on volatiles. There are dogs that can detect cancers. I should collect examples for class, because I think students would find it interesting. (In a non-majors class, several student groups chose something related to cosmetics for their infographic projects.)

 

I was interested in what Clean had to say because I have occasional eczema flare-ups. They’re mostly mild, but they can be persistent and annoying from time to time. After reading the book, I’ve lessened my use of both shampoo and cleanser (apparently what I’m using is technically not a soap). I wasn’t using much to begin with (because of my eczema) and I already try to have quick showers with water that’s not too hot. Clean also reminded me that getting sunlight is good for our skin microbiome. As winter approaches, I need to be more deliberate about this. I’m still showering daily, and I don’t expect that to change. And yes, I will continue to wash my hands regularly with soap and water given we’re still in a global pandemic. (Hamblin would agree.)

 

Overall, I enjoyed my quick and easy read of Clean. And if you want to learn about Hamblin’s personal experience of not showering, read his book. It’s really about Skin, but perhaps that’s not as good a name for the book. While not earth-shattering, I learned some new and interesting things, and for me, that’s always a win.