The most common cause of skin itching after shower is not the

shower - that's just water in moderation, it's pretty harmless. It

might surprise you to know that one ingredient used in most
shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, shaving cream, shower gel, and
'soap' is also the most common skin irritant! What? Why? Why
would companies make skincare products which include an
ingredient that causes skin discomfort? The simplest answer:
because the consumer demands it.
The problem of skin itching after shower, at bedtime, and during
the winter is pretty common. While the time of day, the relative
cleanliness, and the time of year seem unrelated, they are actually
mostly caused by the same thing: sodium lauryl sulfate.

The connection and the cause is sodium lauryl sulfate, a chemical

derived from coconuts. Now you're thinking I'm a kook, a crunchie,
a goofball, or an alarmist. I'm not. Let's disprove these unspoken
accusations with a bit of science - then we can move on to the
solution and you can stop your skin itching after shower.

The Science
Sodium lauryl sulfate is used in laboratory testing to damage the
skin's natural barrier function. One of the most important functions
of skin is to keep things out. Things like chemicals, bacteria, and
viruses would have unfettered entry into our bodies if it weren't
for our skin. When a scientist wants to see what happens if a
particular chemical does get in, they reach for sodium lauryl
sulfate.

The damaging effect of sodium lauryl sulfate on the skin is

objectively measurable - scientists don't ask, "Is your skin itching
after shower?" They measure TEWL (trans epidermal water loss)
to see how much water the skin is letting out. They also test for
erythema, which means skin redness, by measuring the light that is
absorbed and reflected. The final common measure is stratum
corneum hydration, which measures the hydration of the stratum
corneum (a skin layer) by electrical conduction. One study (J Am
Acad Dermatol. 1994 Jun;30(6):944-9) showed that the damage
caused by sls took 17 days to heal!

The Consumer's Role

Why do manufacturers use sls if it causes not only skin itching after
shower, but also exaggerates allergic reactions (Contact Dermatitis.
2005 May;52(5):239-41), triggers eczema (Skin Res Technol. 2003
Nov;9(4):357-62), and causes canker sores (Compend Contin Educ
Dent. 1997 Dec;18(12):1238-40)?

The biggest reason for pretty much everything is money.

Consumers buy products containing sls because they like them,
companies make them because consumers buy them. Pretty simple.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is a foaming ingredient - it makes toothpaste

foamier and shampoo bubblier. Consumers like these feelings - it
makes cleansing feel effective. But with more than 41% of the
population sensitive to sls (Contact Dermatitis. 2003 Feb;48(2):99-
107), is it worth it?

Is there an alternative that doesn't cause skin itching after shower?

Yes. Centuries before humans discovered that they could extract sls
from coconuts to make a foamier soap, they were getting clean
using sls-free soaps. Today's consumers can find sls-free products
if they look hard enough and are willing to read the labels. Even
products made by 'natural' companies can contain sodium lauryl
sulfate. That's because it is a natural product (but so is hemlock.)

When reading the labels of your personal hygiene products, look

for sls, sodium lauryl sulfate, or 'naturally derived surfactants or
foaming agents.' These all usually mean the same thing - your skin
itching after shower.

charlie022871 | Jul 09, 2012

Dove soaps are regularly recommended by health professionals

including the American Academy of Family Physicians.
There are a number of products under the label, Dove Beauty
Bar, but the Sensitive Skin Unscented Beauty Bar is the
hypoallergenic soap for people with eczema and anyone with
sensitive skin.
Although it contains no added fragrance and is regarded as
hypoallergenic, this Dove soap is far from allergen-free. It is
formulated from synthetic chemicals much like most of the Dove
line and other conventional soaps but it is a milder formula.
Dove Sensitive Skin Unscented Beauty Bar may not contain SLS
(sodium lauryl sulfate) but it contains the related sodium lauryl
isethionate.
Some of the other common soap chemicals found in this
hypoallergenic bar are stearic acid, sodium stearate, lauric acid
and tetrasodium EDTA. These are low-hazard ingredients
included to increase the cleansing power of the soap, to prevent
the formation of scum and to separate the inactive ingredients
from the active ingredients.
However, the most controversial ingredient of this soap is
cocamidopropyl betaine.
Cocamidopropyl betaine is a known allergen. This compound has
been shown to contribute to the impairment of the immune
system.
Still, there are safe ingredients in this Dove hypoallergenic soap.
Examples of these are sodium cocoate (derived from coconut oil)
and sodium palm kernelate (derived from palm kernel).
In summary, Dove Sensitive Unscented Beauty Bar may be a
milder formula than the rest of the Dove line and, therefore,
hypoallergenic for some eczema sufferers but it is more likely to
itch and inflame the skin that the natural soaps described above.