The irritancy of soaps and syndets.

The use of soaps and synthetic detergent (syndet) bars has been associated with skin dryness and aggravation of dermatologic conditions. A number of factors, including chemical structure, pH, and cleansing ability, have been implicated in this phenomenon. Many bars contain agents designed to ameliorate the irritancy of the bar and/or provide a skin benefit. Clinical studies have shown that soaps are generally quite irritating while syndets can range from mild to harsh. The addition of skin benefit/mildness agents such as glycerin, cocoa butter, mineral oil, or lanolin has little effect on the irritancy potential of a bar since minimal amounts of these agents are deposited on the skin. The excessive removal of skin lipids by harsh soaps and detergents can result in superficial dryness. The key to gentle cleansing is to start with a mild cleansing product and avoid overuse.