NoNot just creams, serums and treatments: even what you wear and above all what you wash it with has a direct impact on the health of your skin. Detergents can in fact turn into a silent source of irritation, redness and skin sensitivity. In recent years, however, something has changed. More and more people, thanks to dermatitis, allergies and a growing attention to ingredients, are rewriting the rules of home cleansing. Thus was born the concept of “skin-compatible detergents”: formulas designed to respect not only the fabrics, but also the balance of the skin.
Skin-friendly detergents: what they are
“In the atopic, allergic or impaired skin barrier subjectsbehavioral education represents a central element in daily skin management. An often underestimated aspect concerns the choice and use of detergents for washing clotheswhich can release substances onto the tissues that are destined to remain in contact with the skin for a long time” begins to explain Dr. Stefano Francescato, from the Unifarco R&D department who collaborated with the University of Padua in the study.
«These substances include perfumes, preservatives, heavy metals, dyes and enzymes, molecules that they can have a high reactive capacity and contribute to the alteration of the skin balance. In the presence of fragile or sensitized skin, these residues can therefore represent an additional risk factor, with the potential to aggravate clinical pictures of atopic dermatitis, irritant dermatitis or allergic contact dermatitis.”
In light of these considerations, «it becomes essential to give the right importance to the methods of washing laundry and selecting detergentsi, carefully evaluating the formulation and not limiting ourselves only to the claims on the label” continues the expert.
The risks of the wrong detergents for the skin
«When choosing laundry products intended for people with sensitive or pathological skin it is important not to rely solely on claim that emphasize washing performance, but consider carefully the presence or absence of ingredients that could alter the skin barrier» continues Dr. Francescato.
«In these cases, the choice of detergent should follow a dermatological and not just a commercial approach, going beyond labels such as delicate, hypoallergenic or skin-friendly. The criteria for an informed choice of detergent certainly begin with a correct reading of the label, verifying the absence of risky ingredients including preservatives known for their sensitizing power: such as thiazolinones, optical brighteners and some enzymes.
Also pay attention to washing mode. It is in fact important to avoid overdoses, prefer complete rinses and limit the use of fabric softenersoften scented and potentially more irritating.”
Be careful of fragrances
Finally, as already mentioned, who has the sensitive or allergic skin you should also pay particular attention to fragrances.
«There are no completely “safe” fragrances, but only substances with a more or less high risk of causing reactions. Because of this, in the presence of reactive or sensitized skin, it is advisable to avoid perfumed detergents or those enriched with known allergens, whether of natural or synthetic origin, often involved in allergic contact dermatitis”, concludes the expert.
