What to wash with - allergic to soaps? (Photo - TMI)

[allergictowhat]

Every time I shower/wash I’m coming out in a rash . Similar if I use perfumes or perfumed products .

So far it’s been triggered by

Nivea shower gel
Bath and body works
Body shop
Lush
L’Oréal shampoo
All brands of conditioner
Intensive hair mask things
Face masks
Perfume (ie perfume perfume)
Always pads
Foundation
Face wash
Moisturiser
Soap and Glory
Handwash

I get a red/purple rash on contact and surrounding area that burns/swells . Left with dry/scaly and itchy skin after (see photo) . I’ve tried switching to sensitive products to no avail.

Used a Nivea wash this morning, within seconds hands, arms, boobs, neck were bright red/purple and swollen - took about an hour to go down and still a bit stingy now . Could see finger marks where I’d washed .

GP surgery said to minimise all contact with toiletries, use very basic soap and shampoo and to keep piriton in the house - but this has even happened with sanex/simple products . I can’t find any common ingredients other than SLS and nut derivatives - but I can eat nuts …

I can’t not shower .

I’m allergic to quite a few medicines as well (similar reactions) and hair dye so don’t know if it’s maybe something about me that’s causing it .

Bit worried the next time will be anaphylaxis .

Could be the temperature yes, never thought of that . I used to be able to do ‘skin writing’ when I was a child (Can’t rmemeber the proper medical name, but if I scratched my skin it came up in hives) . That hasn’t happened for years though .

Aqueous cream might be worth a try instead of soap
The purest shampoo you can find( perfume and preservatives free)
I think you need a referral to dermatology

That looks so sore. I hope you can nail down what’s causing the problem soon.

Also you could try antihistamines to see if it makes a difference Cetirizine or loratidine generic are very cheap
Sudocrem may be worth trying too

Long term sufferer - Piriton antihistamine (recommended by my derm) which you have to buy at the chemist - it can make you sleepy but sometimes that helps
Epaderm or Cetraben both do emollient washes and Cetraben do a heavy ointment for itchy skin; also Diprobase products work well for me.
Bar soap - Simple is good
If your scalp is itchy TGel shampoo, otherwise OGX sulphate-free works for me and is kinder on my actual hair.
Hope you feel better - it’s miserable and I have yet to meet a GP who understands .

I have sensitive skin, I use Simple shower gel, it’s fragrance free, soap free. I love it.

That picture actually looks like cholinergic urticaria, which is heat related.

Skin writing is likely to be dermatographic urticaria

Neither of these have anything to do with products you use.

A dermatologist would be your best first specialist referral.

I thought I was allergic to multiple things for many years before finally getting diagnosed with a weird, rare allergic condition where I'm actually only allergic to one thing, so I know how easy it can be to cut things out that we suspect when actually it's not that at all.

I always use E45 bath oil. Anything with sls in (nearly all body washes) sets my skin off. I'm also currently also taking a prescription antihistamine.

The E45 oil doesnt lather, so it took me a while to get used to.

The only other non sls body wash I've found without sls is Soap and Glory.

Good luck

Have you tried pure soap eg simple or olive oil soap savon d'huilles or something like that. Unscented

None of what you list are pure soap

GP gave me a big tub of cetraben emollient to wash with instead of soap. Works a treat

Dermol 500 is what you need to try.

Sanex Zero has no sulphates, colourants or fragrances added, so that might be ok?

Try the brand SIMPLE. There are various products in the range. My skin is very sensitive and I used Simple's facewash, cleansing wipes and soap.

Also, use SURCARE for laundry. My son (now 38) has had Eczema since being born and he uses all those things. He also gets on well with AVEENO products.

We use sanex zero. Very allergic dd tolerates it. Out and about we carry in bag a bar of simple bar soap, although she can now tolerate occasional use of pump soap now skin has healed.

Similar skin reactions here - I find for me it’s the fragrance more than anything else; so Simple moisturising hand wash and shower gel works for me (the white stuff not the clear stuff); unfragranced bar soap, and when it’s very bad, washing with Diprobase pump lotion (available OTC) as an emollient wash.

And yes too to Surcare only for laundry.

Oh yes and daily antihistamines too.

First have a shower using no products at all. See if it's the water/temperature.

When you've ruled that out, try again just using bar soap between your legs and under your arms.

Shower much less often. You almost certainly don't need to shower daily, assuming you don't have a mucky job, and your skin will thank you.

Look at 'no poo'. I wash my hair without using shampoo. It takes a bit of experimentation, but I've found my favourites and no longer need to use shampoo at all.

The skin on my feet in particular is so much better! I used to get rashes and burns like you, OP. It rarely happens now.

Also for sanitary pads, the best and least allergenic I have found, are Boots thin maternity pads (not the thick ones but the thin ones) — no gel or fragrance and actually better than normal pads by a long way and also cheaper than Cottons, Natracare etc.!

Look up. Lady who runs a soap making business called I Dream in Soap. Very knowledgeable on what can be used instead of SLS products.

I take cetirizine every day as I have multiple allergies , I find I’m ok with the L’Occitane Shea soap or the Milk soap . They do the Shea as a shower / bath wash as well .

@Anomalocaris

That picture actually looks like cholinergic urticaria, which is heat related.

Skin writing is likely to be dermatographic urticaria

Neither of these have anything to do with products you use.

A dermatologist would be your best first specialist referral.

I thought I was allergic to multiple things for many years before finally getting diagnosed with a weird, rare allergic condition where I'm actually only allergic to one thing, so I know how easy it can be to cut things out that we suspect when actually it's not that at all.

I have both of those but mine looks very different This is after 4 fexofenadine, 4 Zyrtec and Xolair injections (I've just finished on the spin bike)

Definitely try some basic soap - look for the description as Cold-Process Soap - this means it's purely oils/fats & sodium hydroxide which combine to create pure soap. Go for unfragranced & see how you get on.
Good makers of this type of soap are:

The Dartmoor Soap Company
thedartmoorsoapco.co.uk

Boo Cottage Botanicals
www.boocottage.co.uk

I use dr bronner Castile soap. A bar lasts me a good 2 months. Sometimes use the liquid stuff but it's more expensive and doesn't last as long. I use it for washing and shampooing.
Simple, aveeno and all the "gentle and mild" ones make me itch like mad.
I'd ask to get tested too. They might not do it though.