The common surfactants on the market can be categorized into four types:
1. Anionic surfactants
2. Cationic surfactants
3. Amphoteric surfactants
4. Non-ionic surfactants (the general public may not quite understand these four terms, it is temporarily understood as 1. only with a negative-type magnet 2 only with a positive-type magnet 3. both positive and negative magnets 4. will not be sucked by the magnet of the metal), these four types of surfactants, commonly found in the following products…. 1. anionic surfactants: various cleaning products, various creams (lotions) 2. cationic surfactants: shampooing, rinsing and hair care products, clothing softening essence 3. amphoteric surfactants: various cleaning products 4. nonionic surfactants: various creams (lotions), various cleaning products (the specific use of the situation, but also in accordance with its physical and chemical properties, to do different
applications and extensions, this is only a general rough introduction). (This is just a general rough introduction.) According to the research of scientists, the irritation size of surfactants, from high to low, are cationic surfactants > anionic surfactants > amphoteric surfactants > nonionic surfactants. The introduction of surfactants, I write to this side on the good, because the introduction alone may write on the three major can not be written, so we have a little concept on the good, the focus of this article to be placed in the end of the surfactants safe or unsafe? Some scary articles say that surfactants can damage cell membranes, leading to cell death, or surfactants can damage sebum membranes, causing the skin to lose its protective layer. But the fact is that such claims are using fish eyes to scare consumers for marketing purposes, which is deceiving the uninformed public.
First of all, in daily life, the interface active agent or direct contact with the cell opportunities are really limited, may only be brushing teeth will briefly come into contact with the oral cavity,
accidentally into the eyes or accidentally inhaled into the nasal cavity, etc., or else, in general, there is no opportunity to kill the cells, unless there are traumatic injuries that lead to skin breakage, or else it will be blocked from outside the skin, contact can not be in vivo, and in addition, in addition to accidental contact with the eyes or nasal cavity triggered by irritation, the skin will lose its protective layer. Moreover, except for the uncomfortable irritation caused by accidental contact with eyes or nasal cavity, may I ask who else in general daily life, because of contact with the interface active agent, resulting in serious injuries? Or a large number of cell deaths? Besides, after brushing teeth for so long, has there been any medical report that long-term use of toothpaste for brushing teeth will cause any serious side effects? Apparently not. About the surfactant will destroy the cell membrane leading to cell death, are taken out of context from a small section of the cell experiments, experiments so that surfactant direct cell contact, because the surfactant will destroy the cell membrane, resulting in cell rupture and death, which is a very normal phenomenon, as if the knife into the skin, the skin will break is the same reason, such experiments directly point to the toxicity of the surfactant, is really not fair, even if you directly put salt into the skin, the skin will break. Even if you throw salt directly into such cellular experiments, the cells will die for you to see, should salt also be banned from consumption? Even if you pour fruit juice into such a cell experiment, the cells will die.
And then what about destroying the sebaceous membrane so that the skin loses its protective layer? I think we all know that human skin will secrete sebum every day to form a sebum film to protect the skin, only the secretion speed and secretion amount of each person is different, due to the sebum film on the surface of the skin will adsorb dirt or bacteria, so we need to remove through the bath cleaning, so that the skin to re-secrete sebum to protect the skin, so we don’t need to worry about the sebum is washed away, and the loss of protection, not to mention we We need to keep clean and hygienic to maintain the health of our body and skin, so proper cleansing of the skin to allow the skin to secrete sebum again is a must. (However, some people’s sebum secretion is not quite enough, which is why it is suggested that the number of times of cleansing should be reduced, the time during cleansing should be shortened and the amount of cleansing products should be reduced, so that the skin should not be washed too much, and at the same time, after cleansing, oil or cream lotion can be properly applied to protect the skin.) So you can not use these two examples on the allegation that the surfactant is toxic, this is wrong, because the first two examples that surfactant is toxic, are belonging to the HLB value of the higher grade, so it is easy to wash away the sebum film or dirt, but also has a strong charge effect, but also very easy to destroy the cell membranes, and the general cream lotion emulsifiers used by a bit of a gap, it is simply a sword with a Ming Dynasty beheading! Qing Dynasty officials, messy. What’s more, the injectable drugs we use will also add surfactants or emulsifiers, so that some oily drugs can be injected into the human body smoothly, if the surfactant is so toxic? If surfactants are so toxic, how can doctors dare to use them? Moreover, emulsifiers are also added to the ice cream we usually eat.
