Diseases of cleanliness: allergies to detergents

Allergy to detergents is a problem that everyone who loves cleanliness and order in the house faces. Detergents are something that no cleaning can do without, they are simply irreplaceable in everyday life. But there can be many problems with detergents: allergic reactions, skin dermatitis and much more.

In everyday life, it is impossible to do without detergents, they clean, wash, remove stains, do everything to make the house clean and cozy. Dust, food scraps, piles of garbage and so on are a breeding ground for infections and accumulation of bacteria. If you do not use detergent and do not clean up in time, then it will not end with just bacteria, parasitic insects such as cockroaches and many others can start. But, as a rule, it does not come to this.

To maintain cleanliness and comfort in the house, you need a lot of detergents to clean and get rid of dirt, dust, garbage. To clean clothes, use powders, softeners, rinses, to clean the house - detergents and cleaning agents, as well as detergents for washing dishes, floors, windows, and so on. Despite the fact that detergents give cleanliness and order, they can cause a lot of trouble. We are talking about allergies to detergents.

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Dangerous cleanliness: which detergent to choose to avoid allergies?

Many clean freaks are sure that if a cleaning product is advertised on TV, it means it is effective and, of course, safe for humans, but this is not always the case. When buying a cleaning product, pay attention to its composition, choose a product that does not contain many chemical components and does not have a pungent aroma.

Recently, doctors have increasingly recorded cases of allergy to detergents. Allergies occur due to the skin's reaction to an irritant, that is, components from the detergent. Most powders, detergents, gels, etc. contain fragrances, which also cause allergic reactions.

Let's take a closer look at the causes of allergies to detergents and find ways to solve this problem.

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Causes of allergies to detergents

There are many reasons for allergies to detergents. This may be intolerance to certain components, which, when they come into contact with the skin, cause a violent allergic reaction or inflammation. Allergies to detergents can manifest themselves both throughout the body and in certain areas, usually in those areas of the body that have come into contact with the detergent.

Allergies can be on the fingers, manifested due to prolonged contact with household chemicals. Detergents contain active chemicals that instantly damage the skin of the hands. Severe itching and burning occurs, the skin of the hands is covered with a rash or small ulcers. Sometimes a simple rash turns into wounds that do not heal for a long time and even begin to fester. To avoid such symptoms, it is necessary to use detergents for cleaning the house or washing dishes in rubber gloves that protect the skin.

The following causes of allergies to detergents are identified:

• Individual intolerance to chemical elements of the detergent.
• Active irritants such as: phosphates, softening solutions, various bleaches and fragrances.
• Long-term skin contact with detergent.
• A weakened immune system that cannot create a protective barrier against harmful chemicals.

Not all people, when using detergents, think about the fact that this can lead to an allergic reaction and do not use basic protection methods. If it is washing dishes, floors, walls, etc., then wear gloves or even a respirator to avoid inhaling harmful vapors. If you wash clothes using powders, do not forget to rinse the clothes well, since the chemicals that remain on the clothes, when worn, will be absorbed into your body and will undoubtedly cause an allergic reaction.

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Symptoms of Allergy to Detergents

Symptoms of allergy to detergents appear on the skin. The most common types of allergic reactions are:

• Redness;
• Itching;
• Dryness and cracks in the skin;
• Rash and irritation;
• Peeling of skin that has had direct contact with the irritant;
• Red spots, swelling;
• The appearance of burns.

Please note that the body's reaction to the effects of detergents is quite unpredictable. It can start with slight reddening of the hands and go on to respiratory tract asphyxia. Among the components that are part of detergents and can cause an allergic reaction, the most dangerous are: bulk elements, fragrances, dyes.

If you have an allergy to washing powder, it is due to the phosphates that are part of the product. Phosphates make the water softer, which greatly improves the quality of washing clothes. The worst thing is that if you do not rinse the clothes well after washing, this will cause an allergic reaction throughout the body.

Symptoms of allergy to detergents always manifest themselves in redness, itching of the body, runny nose and even coughing, tears, etc. To get rid of allergies, it is necessary to give up the irritant - the detergent with allergens.

Diagnosis of allergy to detergents

Diagnosis of allergy to detergents begins with identifying the source of the disease, that is, the detergent or powder that provoked the allergic reaction.

Any household chemical can cause an allergy to detergents: window and floor cleaner, powder, stain remover, shampoo, dishwashing liquid. And all because the main components that make up the detergent contain surfactants that behave very aggressively once they get on an unprotected area of skin.

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Protection and diagnostics of allergies to detergents

When using detergents and to avoid allergic reactions, it is necessary to use those that do not produce much foam. Remember that foaming agents are very dangerous.

To protect yourself from allergies to detergents, use gloves to protect the skin of your hands. If your skin is so sensitive that allergies appear even through gloves, then use a simple but safe recipe for an anti-allergy detergent: a bar of laundry soap, a little citric acid, soda and mustard. Mix all the ingredients, and you will get a wonderful, and most importantly, safe version of household chemicals.

When buying detergents in stores, pay special attention to phosphate-free detergents, detergents with priobiotics, that is, beneficial bacteria that effectively remove dirt but do not cause allergies.

As soon as you feel a rash or itching on your skin after cleaning, immediately wash the affected area with running water. If possible, apply an anti-allergic or anti-inflammatory cream to the skin. As a last resort, wash with chamomile infusion.

Remember that detergents are especially dangerous for small children. If you have a child, wash his clothes and dishes only with special detergents. There are many detergents on the market now that do not contain allergens and are specially designed for children.

Treatment of allergies to detergents

Treatment of allergy to detergents begins with alleviating the symptoms. For these purposes, antihistamine ointments and preparations containing corticosteroids are used.

As soon as you notice an allergic reaction on your skin, immediately wash the affected area with water, consider that your cleaning is over. You cannot, after the appearance of an allergic reaction, change one detergent for another, this will only worsen the situation and complicate the symptoms. Use gloves and soft hypoallergenic detergents, this will soften the effect of the allergens in the detergent.

Types of allergies to detergents and their treatment

• Allergy to powder, detergents, cleaning agents - wash the affected area with clean water. Apply cream or ointment with an anti-inflammatory effect to the skin or make a compress from chamomile infusion.
• Shampoo allergy – this allergy happens because you change your shampoo too often. The main symptom is dandruff, small rash, itching. Before trying a new shampoo on your hair, apply it to your hand, if redness appears, then an allergic reaction cannot be avoided.
• Allergy to powder is the most insidious type of allergy, which appears after you put on clothes that were poorly washed from detergent. This problem is relevant for intimate allergies. Rinse clothes well, especially underwear and small children's clothes. In order to cure such an allergy, it is enough to stop wearing clothes that cause irritation and wash the affected areas with anti-inflammatory mixtures.

If you do not treat your detergent allergy in time, the usual redness and itching will develop into skin dermatitis. Skin dermatitis is a more severe form of allergy that can be chronic.

Prevention of allergies to detergents

Allergy to detergents is not a fatal disease, but it is quite unpleasant. If you have encountered such a problem, you know how much inconvenience allergies can cause. In order not to get a rash, sneeze or scratch, it is necessary to follow the rules of allergy prevention when using detergents.

Prevention of allergies to detergents includes the following measures:

• Use detergents that are specifically designed for sensitive skin or products labeled "hypoallergenic." If an allergy does occur, it will have mild symptoms that will not cause you any inconvenience or discomfort.
• Use detergents without dyes, fragrances, phenol, ammonia, acetone, or chlorine.
• Replace commercial detergents with natural alternatives.
• Instead of aerosols and cloudberry detergents, use gels. This will prevent allergen particles from entering the respiratory tract.
• Use detergents only with gloves to ensure maximum protection against allergic reactions.

Use allergenic household chemicals for cleaning only as a last resort. Do not scrub floors and wash dishes with substances that are harmful to your health every day.

Allergy to detergents is the most common problem among women. Women have always cleaned the house and will not stop doing it because of allergenic household chemicals. But you can always protect yourself: carefully read the label of the detergent and use rubber gloves.

Protect yourself and prevent allergies. Be healthy!