Skin cleansing irritation

Soap as used in personal cleansing products has a long safe history of use. Modem soaps have been specifically formulated to be compatible with skin and to be used on a daily basis with minimal side effects. Excessive use of soap for skin cleansing can dismpt the natural barrier function of skin through the removal of skin oils and dismption of the Hpid bdayer in skin. This can result in imperfect desquamation or a dry appearance to skin and cause an irritation response or erythema, ie, reddening of the skin. Neither of these is a permanent response and the eHcitation of this type of skin reaction depends on the individual s skin type, the product formulation, and the frequency of use. 

Whereas tests (186) indicated that ampholytes were effective in skin cleansing for preoperative use, for wound cleansing, and as an antiseptic in the oral cavity (187), as well as other medical appHcations, the food and beverage industries have proved to be the principal employers of these compounds. Ampholytes are used as sanitizers and disinfectants, not as food preservatives. Low toxicity, absence of skin irritation, and noncorrosiveness, along with antimicrobial activity, has given ampholytes acceptance in dairies, meat plants, and the brewing and soft drink industries. These disinfectants have been manufactured and distributed in Europe and Japan, but not in the United States. 

Erythema (development of redness) and itch are basically inflammatory responses of the skin when irritants penetrate into deeper layers of the SC. In the cleansing context this is usually because of a breakdown of the barrier for reasons indicated earlier leading to penetration of irritant materials. Note, however, that it may not be necessary for the surfactant to penetrate into dermal layers to elicit a response. Communication via production of cytokines in the SC can also elicit a response from the dermis 26... 

Benzalkonium chloride is used mainly as a disinfectant for pre-operative skin cleansing and, surgical instruments but has sometimes been used in the treatment of ulcers, wounds and infected dermatoses. It is also present as a preservative in many cosmetic products and ophthalmic preparations. Irritation is strongly related to the concentration of the solution. 

In two studies the cleansing and irritancy behavior of surfactants [106,107] were examined. An automated skin brushing method using a specific test soil and an epicutaneous irritation test on the dorsum of volunteers were applied. A sodium sulfosuccinate monoester based on a fatty alcohol ethoxylate gave very favorable results with respect to skin mildness although this concurred with low detergency. 

Avoid irritant chemicals on the skin. Harsh soaps or detergents should not be used. Cleansing should be done with tepid water, preferably using lipid-free and fragrance-free cleansers. 

As the central function of a shampoo is to cleanse the hair, the primary ingredient of a shampoo is a detergent (also known as a surfactant). Many shampoos, particularly those targeted for babies and children, claim to cause no eye irritation or sting. A no-tears formulation achieves this claim by carefully adjusting the nature of the surfactants. In particular, the identity and concentration of surfactants with an ionic or charged portion are controlled to minimize both eye and skin irritation. 

Skin scrubbing or excessive face washing does not necessarily open or cleanse pores and may lead to skin irritation. 

Use of gentle, nondrying cleansing agents is important to avoid skin irritation and dryness during some acne therapies. 

Crotamiton (Eurax) is available as a cream or lotion. Suggested guidelines for scabies treatment call for two applications to the entire body from the chin down at 24-hour intervals, with a cleansing bath 48 hours after the last application. Crotamiton is an effective agent that can be used as an alternative to lindane. Allergic contact hypersensitivity and primary irritation may occur, necessitating discontinuance of therapy. Application to acutely inflamed skin or to the eyes or mucous membranes should be avoided. 

N.A. Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Hayek. Raphanolide, raphanol, diastase, ferment, gluconasturin, bitters, essential oils, phenyl ethyl, vitamins, niacin.303 A blood builder, antidyskratic diuretic activities, lymphatic and digestive cleansing, treat prostate irritation, vaginal pruritis, chronic skin irritations. 

The use of aloe as a laxative is mentioned in Greek literature before the first century. The Greek physician Dioscorides wrote of its use in treating wounds, chapping, hair loss, genital ulcers, hemorrhoids, boils, mouth irritation, and inflammation. In the 7th century, aloe was used in the East for eczema and sinusitis. Today, aloe is often prescribed to heal wounds, bums, skin ulcers, frostbite, and dry skin. It is an ingredient in teas for dieters because of its laxative effect and is found in body-cleansing products as well (see Chapter 12). 

From the literature, little is known about the impact of cosmetic products on skin pH. Skin possesses buffering capacity, which protects it against changes of pH. It has been shown that after application of alkaline preparation, elevated outside skin pH decreases back toward acidic values.5,14 21 Such change of pH may occur also after application of a cosmetic product. This issue is barely mentioned in case of stay-on products, like moisturizers. Rinse-off cleansing products are investigated more often, in terms of their influence on skin pH and the correlation between their pH and the irritancy potential. 

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