Possible reaction to lye? Anyone else have this irritating issue?

[violets2217]

Wow, what a great forum. Thank you for replying so quickly

@Jaccart, keeping Benadryl on hand is a good idea, and you're right - if my reactions get worse with each occasion sadly this hobby may not be for me. You're also right that it could have totally been nerves! I was super stressed out wanting to make sure I did everything right haha.

@Jules, going outside is a good idea. I almost did it but then chickened out because I was worried about what my neighbours would think about me mixing mysterious substances while wearing goggles, gloves and a mask . I will have to be brave and try it next time!

@Dorymae Thank you for those approximate fume times! I appreciate it. LOL I hear you about the lice: I'm a teacher and have never had it, but every time it goes through my classroom I am the itchiest person ever! It could totally be in my head.

I will find out in ~24 hours if my first little batch was successful!



Yup, allergies are super weird! I developed a random severe allergy to Advil after taking it 20+ years. Strange things can happen!

I’ve been told our bodies’ sensitivities change every 7 years and an allergy can pop up out of no where... is it true? No clue! Lol

Also I also tell my kids if any neighbors ask...Tell them I’m not cooking meth And just go and grab ‘em a bar of soap for their troubles!

 

[violets2217]

this post is 6 years old. The original poster hasn’t been here in 6 years.

Lol... I need to start paying attention to the posts dates... yikes!

 

[shunt2011]

I quoted an old post for some reason. Sorry. In the hospital on meds. Might be a little loopy.

 

[wilymama]

I see this is an old post, but it has the best description of what I've been experiencing this summer. I work for a small batch soap maker, and I've turned into an itchy mess this summer. I've worked around lye for 10 years, and this summer is the first time I've had this skin reaction. It's not raised or blistered, but the itching is bad & gets worse when I get hot & sweaty. It practically burns.. I thought it was a new med side effect, and had my dr change it. Symptoms were practically gone and then after a week away from the workshop, BAM! Within 5 min of being in the new shop (business moved last year), I was right back to being super itchy. Lye wasn't out & hadn't been made in a week, so it's like particles we're still in the air or something. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[lenarenee]

I see this is an old post, but it has the best description of what I've been experiencing this summer. I work for a small batch soap maker, and I've turned into an itchy mess this summer. I've worked around lye for 10 years, and this summer is the first time I've had this skin reaction. It's not raised or blistered, but the itching is bad & gets worse when I get hot & sweaty. It practically burns.. I thought it was a new med side effect, and had my dr change it. Symptoms were practically gone and then after a week away from the workshop, BAM! Within 5 min of being in the new shop (business moved last year), I was right back to being super itchy. Lye wasn't out & hadn't been made in a week, so it's like particles we're still in the air or something. Has anyone else experienced this?

No, I haven't. But you may also want to consider fragrance particles as a possible cause - they are super tiny and can float in the air a very long time.
Is the room well ventilated?

 

[wilymama]

Ventilation could be better.

 

[AliOop]

I would second the FOs or perhaps dusty ingredients like clays or powdered surfactants as the more likely cause of the itchiness.

 

[The_Phoenix]

The few times I’ve felt prickly skin was mixing my lye solution while I was a quite sweaty. Lye is attracted to water and, especially if the lye you’re using is on the staticky side, it seems to almost magnetize itself to my sweaty skin. I used to use a brand of lye that went everywhere when I poured it out (I think it was the container the lye was stored in) to measure.

I’ve since switched brands and don’t have that issue. I still always wear long sleeves when I measure out my lye. I wear a face shield instead of goggles because the goggles would fog up. And the face shield is great at blocking any fumes.

 

[artemis]

BAM! Within 5 min of being in the new shop (business moved last year), I was right back to being super itchy.

I wonder if it's the shop. Could there be an environmental issue? Something in the shop itself that you are reacting?

 

[Becky1024]

After a bad flare up of eczema earlier this summer I had a patch test done of the 36 most common skin contact allergens. One fo the 36 was a "fragrance mix" which surprised me because it tested for compounds found in essential oils, including cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ylang ylang, rose, palmerosa, geranium, lavender, jasmine, citronella and oak moss! So if you were exposed to a new essential oil that could be the reason you have been itchy.

 

[Susie]

I have to tell you that I was literally allergic to a building I worked in once. Skin, respiratory passages, eyes, the lot. There were several people there that were allergic to air fresheners, candles, etc, so there was none of that in the building. I never did figure out what I was allergic to there. I loved that job, but not that reaction. Had to move on quickly.