How to Choose Safer Products for Your Sensitive Skin

Ectodermal dysplasia can impact your skin in different ways, depending on which particular syndrome affects you. But, in general, the skin in ectodermal dysplasias tends to be sensitive. Many things that touch sensitive skin can cause an irritation or an allergic rash. It’s also possible that your skin may be sensitive because of some other condition that you have and not be caused by ectodermal dysplasia.

If your skin is sensitive for any of these reasons, you will want to be careful about what products you use. In our recent dermatology webinar, dermatologist Dr. Elaine C. Siegfried shared an article that has useful tips on products that are safer for your skin.

According to Dr. Siegfried, The safest, most cost-effective and most important way to protect sensitive skin is to use products that do not contain irritants and allergens. Knowing the ingredients of those products is key!

Download the article to learn what safer products you can use for face and body wash, hand cleaner, shampoo, conditioner, lip balm, scalp oil, hair gel, anti-itch creams, diapers, diaper rash cream, insect repellant, sunscreen and more! For example, for laundry detergent, Dr. Siegfried suggests the following:

Find a dye-free, fragrance-free detergent like All Free & Clear. Consider two rinse cycles. Limit detergent quantity so that rinse water is clear. No fabric softeners or dryer sheets.

– Dr. Elaine Siegfried

Test Before You Try

Before you apply any new product to the face or to large areas of our body, the body, follow these tips:

• Do a “DIY” patch test for possible irritation (immediate) or allergic reaction (delayed)
  • Apply the product to a quarter-sized area inside the upper arm once a day for five days.
  • Monitor the site for up to two weeks.
  • Look for redness, swelling, scaling and/or itching.
  • Apply plain petroleum jelly if needed to promote healing.
  • Consult a health care provider if the reaction is painful, blistered or persists for more than two weeks.

For more tips and the full list of safer products, check out the full article.

What products have you found to be useful for your sensitive skin? We’d love to hear! Tell us in the comments below and indicate what type of ectodermal dysplasia you have, if you know.