Whether you’re battling body odor, razor burn, eczema, ingrown hairs, or back acne, TikTok may have you convinced that over-the-counter antibacterial cleansers containing chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) are miracle skin-care cure-alls.
In reality, things are much more complicated. Cleansers that contain CHG—such as Hibiclens and Hibiscrub, which are traditionally used to prep a patient’s skin before surgery—have been experiencing a surge of popularity on TikTok. And while they do effectively kill the microbes that can cause some common dermatological issues, they might also give you a nasty rash, impair your skin’s ability to fight infections, or lead to other uncomfortable problems. In very rare cases, CHG may even cause blindness or deafness, if used near your eyes or ears, or result in death due to anaphylactic shock.
Even with those risks, such cleansers continue to be praised as holy grail products by many social media “skinfluencers.” But dermatologists told us that for a lot of patients, this new trend of using heavy-duty antibacterial agents as long-term solutions to common skin conditions is backfiring in ways both big and small.
“Over the past six months, it’s been a little more prevalent,” Dr. Danilo C. Del Campo, a Chicago-based dermatologist and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, said in a video interview. “Patients are telling me they’re using this amazing soap they’ve seen all these influencers using, and they’re wondering why their skin is getting worse.”
The truth is, whether you’re looking to treat a specific skin problem or you just want to practice good hygiene to reduce your chances of getting sick, antibacterial products are rarely the answer. Here’s why—and what you should use instead.
