Translucent soap is a mild bar soap designed to minimize skin irritation. Translucent soap is also sometimes called transparent soap. It is usually considered a safe alternative for those who react to the ingredients in opaque soap. However, some ingredients in translucent soap can trigger allergic reactions in some people. If you sometimes react to translucent soap, see your doctor to confirm the symptoms are due to an allergic reaction.
Translucent Soap
Soap does more than just cleanse the skin. It also helps prevent infection, removes dead skin cells and cleans excess oil from the skin's surface. Beginning when soap was first invented, around 2800 BC, soap makers have made cleansers out of many different substances, including animal fats, oils and salts. Recently, increased awareness of the harsh chemicals used in soap has prompted soap makers to use milder ingredients. In translucent soaps, a much higher amount of glycerin is added in place of animal fats and the coloring agents that give opaque soap its color and can cause skin irritation. The amount of glycerin used depends on the brand, which is why translucent soaps vary in transparency. Because transparent soaps omit coloring agents and harsh cleansers they are considered better for sensitive skin.
Allergy Triggers
The natural and synthetic fragrances added to translucent soaps sometimes trigger allergic reactions in people with sensitive skin. Allergic reactions are not always immediate. You may develop an allergic reaction after using the same soap for months without a problem. The perfumes and dyes in soap cause most of the allergic reactions, even if the perfumes are made from natural ingredients, such as essential oils, dried herbs or parts of flowers. Alcohol is also sometimes added as a stabilizer to transparent soaps and can cause reactions in some people.
Allergic Contact Dermatitis
Reactions to translucent soaps can range from mild redness to open sores. Allergic contact dermatitis is a common condition that usually develops within hours of contact with an allergen in soap. The skin often appears red, irritated and swollen. In more severe cases, you may notice fluid-filled blisters called hives. The American Academy of Dermatology warns that repeated exposure to allergens can cause the skin to become thick, red and scaly, with patches of leathery-looking skin. Physicians sometimes prescribe corticosteroid creams to treat severe reactions. For a definitive diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis, see an allergist or dermatologist.
Allergy Prevention
The key to preventing allergic soap reactions is identifying and avoiding the allergen. Ask your physician to give you a skin allergy test to determine what substances are causing your allergic reaction. For many people, it is a specific substance, such as a fragrance, essential oil or cleansing additive. Choose translucent soaps with the fewest ingredients to reduce your risk of reaction. The AAD warns that soaps labeled as "unscented" may actually contain fragrances that are masked by other chemicals. The AAD recommends people with sensitive skin choose a "fragrance free” soap for cleansing.
Posted in: Allergies