Rashes from using soap

[Derek Smith]

I’m a sensitive creature. About 25 years ago I reacted to an underarm antiperspirant/deodorant I was using. I had blisters on blisters; very uncomfortable. Despite trying loads of alternatives, I react to them all. I’ve not used any deodorant on my body for years.

Recently I’ve come up with a rash around my neck and upper chest. I stopped using my ‘anti-allergen’ soap and it has, somewhat reluctantly, started to go away.

Has anyone else experienced the same problem and, if so, have they discovered a soap that they don’t react to? I’ve checked ingredients and some, which suggest they are anti-allergen, require the resources of ICI to produce.

[Hoofy]

A couple of things spring to mind
-can't you use some kind of body wash that's meant for sensitive skin eg Dove?
-are you washing away the soap enough or just leaving it to sit on the skin? Give the area a good rub with your hands in the shower if possible.

[HarryFlatters]

My mother is allergic to soaps and shampoos with a specific foaming agent derived from coconut oil.

However, it could be anything. I'd suggest getting a GP referral to a dermatologist who will conduct a spot test to find the product(s) in question.

[Derek Smith]

Thanks for the replies.

I use Dove. Have used it for years and now, all of sudden it's literally gone for my throat.

It was the same with the underarm deodorant. Just suddenly turned on me for no reason. Reminds me of Kay, but that was years ago.

When I had the underarm problem I had the allergy tests and they showed a number of positives. Not a lot of point if you don't want a lot of itching.

[zbc]

As a left field suggestion you could think of making your own soap. Plenty of advice online and it's really easy to do. This way you might be able to track down what you're allergic to. I've done it a few times and have my MIL begging me for it as she's allergic to almost everything else.

[Hoofy]

Assuming you're washing off the soap properly, maybe it's time to change to another brand for a while?

[otolith]

Soaps, historically, are fatty acids and their salts. Fats are made of glycerine bonded to three fatty acids. When you boil them with caustic soda or potash, you break that bond and get glycerine and the sodium or potassium salt of the fatty acid, which solidifies. There are a number of them, and most of them are found in most natural fat and oil sources, though some sources contain a lot more of them and are often used industrially to manufacture them.

They work because one end of the molecule is attracted to water and the other to grease, so they can enable oily substances to be removed with water.

So, assuming you are using Dove Sensitive, the ingredients are;

Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate - synthetic detergent

Stearic Acid - fatty acid, common in animal fat. Also found in large amounts in some plant fats (cocoa butter, shea butter)

Sodium Tallowate Or Sodium Palmitate - sodium salts of fatty acids (derived from animal fat and - frequently, though not necessarily - palm oil respectively)

Lauric Acid, - fatty acid, commonly derived from coconut or palm oil

Sodium Isethionate - synthetic detergent

Water

Sodium Stearate - sodium salt of stearic acid, see above

Cocamidopropyl Betaine - synthetic detergent

Sodium Cocoate Or Sodium Palm Kernelate - sodium salts of mixed fatty acids derived from coconut or palm kernel oil

Sodium Chloride - salt

Tetrasodium Edta - stabiliser and water softener

Tetrasodium Etidronate - stabiliser and water softener

Maltol - perfume

Titanium Dioxide - inert white colour

You may be sensitive to some of those. You may not be experiencing an allergic reaction (technically) but simply irritation. That may be a reaction to one of the ingredients, or a reaction to the mechanical effect they are having on your skin in removing grease from it. If the latter, any soap or detergent may be a problem, and you perhaps need to minimise their use as much as you can.

I would look for soap with fewer ingredients to see if you can rule some things out. This might be worth considering;

https://www.boots.com/simple-pure-soap-bar-for-sen...

Sodium Tallowate
Sodium Cocoate
Water
Sodium Palm Kernelate
Sodium Chloride
Glycerin
Tetrasodium EDTA
Etidronic Acid.

Or this;

https://www.friendlysoap.co.uk/product/aloe-vera-s...

Sodium cocoate
Sodium olivate
Water
Butyrospermum parkii butter
Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf powder

[mike74]

Iv'e generally never had problems with any soaps or shower gels, until the one and only time I used some Morrisons own brand shower gel, the next day my skin was red raw, dry, sore and cracked it was like I'd used brick acid!

Took about a week of slavering myself in e45 for it to recover.

[Derek Smith]

Thanks, guys.

Otolith, the list is scary.

I'm beginning to wonder what's in water.

[Malcs87]

Do you moisturize after washing?

[otolith]

Derek Smith said:

Thanks, guys.

Otolith, the list is scary.

Yes - seems a lot of ingredients, and a lot of them basically do the same thing.

May be that they vary the proportions according to what they can buy at the time. Still makes it hard to see what might be irritating you, the fewer the better for that.

Derek Smith said:

I'm beginning to wonder what's in water.

I defer to W.C. Fields on the matter of why one should not drink water.

[NDA]

Allergies can suddenly appear - for some reason I have recently become incredibly allergic to any form of Elastoplast. As a frequent gardener I often pick up cuts and bloody abrasions. I can no longer use Elastoplast of any type or brand - it brings me out in welts which take weeks to go down. I now have to use completely sterile bandages that are used in surgeries.

Very odd - I have no allergies to anything else.

[Pothole]

I developed a similar allergy to spray deodorants a few years ago (wow, about 12. How time flies) I've always been mildly itchy after using certain, mostly scented, soaps. Since then I only use Pear's soap and roll-on deodorant from Sanex.

[Foliage]

Try glycerine soap

Its see-through,

"Glycerin soaps are considered hypoallergenic, meaning that they are less likely to cause allergies in most people. However, even hypoallergenic soaps can still cause reactions in some people, especially if the glycerin soap contains other additives, such as fragrances, that may cause irritation."

[Derek Smith]

Cheers, guys. I'm going to see my doctor following a blood test that gave rise to a bit of mild concern. I'll mention it then and see what he says.

I was in a queue for coffee and smelt a waft of BO. Despite having washed a couple of hours previously I thought it might be me. I fluffed up my jacket and then pressed it flat. I put my nose near the top to catch a whiff. It's best to do it, I've discovered, when the next person in the queue is unlikely to give you strange stares.

It turned out to be the woman in front of me, at least going by the look, and quick departure, of the woman she sat next to.

[Cass63]

Could it be the washing powder or tabs you are washing your clothes in.

[Teddy Lop]

I have to be careful what I use, a lot of stuff can break me out in an irritable rash in no time, imperial leather I'm okay with. Same with spray deodorants, found lynx one of the ones that didn't affect me, although now we have salt crystal deodorant which is great and I don't have to smell like a desperate teenager.

[JaydeTalbot]

I also had a soap rash before. Personally, I did not notice this rash and did not give it any meaning. After a while, I still noticed this rash and could not understand what it was from. Eventually I realized that this rash was caused by the soap I was using. I urgently needed to change the soap and came across the Alaffia brand. I bought quality soap from them. I also saw in them, in addition to soap, various creams for various skin diseases. At the moment, I still order soap there, because I am afraid for my health and I do not know what caused this rash.

Edited by JaydeTalbot on Friday 12th March 08:39

[Foliage]

Necro -

Interestingly, I was going to post the exact same thing I did 2 years ago...

[otolith]

Has it got a rash on its bot?