Does lye soap help skin irritations?

[LatherMeUp]

Is it really true that lye soap can help skin irritations? I have had problems for years but never tried lye soap. Doctors can't help. I do not want to take prednisone. Thanks for help.

 

[Relle]

All soap has lye in it, you cannot make soap without lye. Soap cannot help skin irritations, it is a wash on, wash off product and a cleanser. You could try finding a handmade soap, made of 100% olive oil or a goats milk soap, these should be mild on your skin and not strip it of the natural oils. Skin irritations can be caused from a lot of things - medications, stress, foods, etc. Obviously you have to find the cause to treat it correctly, soap would not be a treatment, just a cleanser that would not irritate your existing problem.

 

[LatherMeUp]

Goat's milk soap doesn't have lye?

 

[Hazel]

What Relle is saying is all soap has to be made with lye. Simply stated saponification is the exothermic chemical reaction created by combining lye and oils. The lye and oils interact, the lye is "used up" in converting the oils to soap so there won't be any lye left in a completely saponified batch. Well, there shouldn't be any lye left as long as the correct amount of lye and oils are used. Sometimes mistakes happen, ingredients aren't weighed correctly and you can end up with a lye heavy batch.

Goat milk soap is made with lye but shouldn't have any in it after saponification.

You said doctors can't help with your skin irritation. Have you been to a dermatologist or just a general practitioner? I like Relle's suggestion about trying castile soap or goat milk soap. Generally, these soaps are more gentle with cleansing the skin. I have found since I switched to using handmade soap I have less problems with dry skin. I used to have to slather on lotions and creams in the winter because my skin would get so dry and itchy. Now I rarely use anything heavier than a light lotion. Occasionally, I'll apply some whipped shea in the winter if it gets really cold and the furnace is kicking on more often. But just because handmade soap helped me, doesn't mean it will help you. But I don't think it will hurt to give it a try.

 

[Relle]

About a year ago I had a skin condition develop and the GP was treating me with different topical creams which weren't working, it had been going on for months and I'd had enough,she took a swab and sent it off for testing only to find it was fungal,creams weren't going to fix it. A course of antibiotics and it cleared. As Hazel said a good dermatologist should be able to find the cause, keep looking you'll find the right doctor to help.

 

[new12soap]

Depending on what is irritating your skin, I would say the answer is "maybe". If your skin is being irritated by using commercial soap or body wash (most of which aren't really "soap" they are detergents), then yes trying a basic soap may help. If the irritation is from something else, or may be something more than just irritation, then it may not make a difference. I will say that no matter what is going with your skin, properly made and cured soap is unlikely to do any harm (unless you have allergies or something). I would say give it a try, but if your problem persists I second (or third) seeing a dermatologist.

edited for typo

 

[DragonQueenHHP]

this may sound odd but do you use artificial sweetener in something you have often like diet cola or to sweeten tea

 

[MooreThanBags]

I make goat milk soap and have two children using it with great results that were never able to wash with any soap previously. They bathed with baby shampoo but are able to use the goat milk soap without any problems.
It has also helped people with eczema and psoriasis. I do not make any claims about it helping with skin irritations but get good feedback on it. One of my customers with psoriasis had her dermatologist recommend that she was with goat milk soap containing honey and oatmeal.

 

[siobhan1011]

my guttate psoriasis cleared up within three weeks of stopping using anything that contains sls or sles, and by using a whipped body butter containing 50% coconut oil, 25% shea butter and 25% cocoa butter

 

[RocknRoll]

This is my personal experience using my CP soap. I've battled with adult acne for years...up until I started using my facial bar made with activated charcoal. Im convinced its the charcoal pulling impurities from my skin but I llso think that using a natural soap as opposed to chemical laden "cleansers" have helped too.

 

[melstan775]

I have severe skin irritations due to an autoimmune disease. Since using lye soaps
I have found some firmness has returned and some redness disappeared. I also switched my laundry soap to homemade and it has helped a lot with the itching and feeling like I'm being hit with razor blades on my back. It can't hurt to try lye soaps and give your skin a break from chemicals. However if your skin irritations are do bad your doctor is
Considering prednisone, there might be an underlying reason for your skin disorder that hasn't been discovered yet such as an issue with diabetes or comprimised immune or lymphatic system.