Your skin may develop allergic reaction to laundry detergent after intense exposure. In some cases, sensitive skin people may see detergent allergy symptoms like skin rashes, itching and contact dermatitis within few weeks.
Most people not knowing that actual cause of allergy avoid food substances thinking them as allergens. Though, most food allergens trigger skin rashes, chemical ingredients in detergents stripe natural oil and results in itching.
You must consult allergist or dermatologist to determine the allergic substance.
If you’re sure about the allergic substance, in this case detergent soap, then stop using it for a week and see the change.
Mild and moderate allergic symptoms caused by laundry detergent can be treated by home remedies and preventing its use.
Detergent Allergy Symptoms
Everyone knew that these soaps are packed with chemical preservatives and fragrance. When sensitive skin people directly contact, an allergic reaction may trigger.
Immune system wrongly detects ingredient in detergent soap as a harmful substance, it produces histamines to combat them, resulting in allergic symptoms.
According to experts, sodium lauryl sulfate, a chemical packed in detergent soap breaks natural oil over the skin and may cause allergic reaction. Similarly, fragrance and coconut diethanolamide stimulates allergic reaction in people who’re hypersensitive to these ingredients.
Symptoms may vary from person to person depending on immune system, skin and period of exposure. Below are common symptoms of this allergic reaction.
- Itching
- Burning sensation
- Hives
- Contact dermatitis
- Inflammation
- Red and raised rashes
- Small blisters
- Tightness in your skin
- Sneezing
- Watery eyes
In winter months, these symptoms turn worse, because of dry skin.
Different ingredient chemical and natural are included in detergents. Apart from this, fragrance in these soaps stripe natural moisture and further makes easy for infectious bacteria to stimulate infection.
Contact dermatitis or hives are very common with detergent allergy. Anti-histamines and home remedies can reduce inflammation triggered by allergic reaction.
However, you must be diagnosed by an expert to confirm the allergen.
Allergist will carry skin prick test by exposing your skin to various allergens to determine the specific substances that triggered the allergic reaction.
3 Treatments for Sensitive Skin
- As mentioned above take anti-histamine creams or oral medication. Do check its side-effects before using.
- Topical application of corticosteroid creams.
- Use home remedies like oatmeal mask and use fragrance free detergent soaps.
You can’t completely cure detergent allergy, but by avoiding it you can at least prevent allergic reaction.
Take hypoallergenic detergent soaps and natural laundry detergents. Apart from this, you must remove the residue left on your clothing. For this, use an extra rinse cycle in clean water and use less detergent in the beginning.