The effect of household detergents on the hydrolipidic balance of the body's protective tissues

Most people actively use dishwashing detergents, often without wearing gloves. Regular contact with household detergents can disrupt the skin’s structure, altering its biophysical parameters.

Purpose. To evaluate the relationship between the pH of dishwashing detergent solutions and key parameters of hand skin condition: moisture, softness, and oiliness after exposure to detergents.

Material and methods. The experiment involved 11 participants. Skin parameters (moisture, oiliness, and softness) were measured using a digital analyzer. Five dishwashing detergents were tested: Bio Mio, Detstvo, Eco, Mama, and Fairy. Aqueous solutions with a concentration of 0.5% were prepared and applied to the inner forearm; after rinsing, skin parameters were re-measured.

Results. Pearson’s linear correlation coefficients (r) were determined. A strong positive correlation was found between the pH of detergent solutions and hand skin parameters such as moisture (r=0.82) and softness (r=0.86), indicating that alkaline detergents create a pronounced moisturizing and softening effect immediately after use. A moderate inverse correlation was observed between the pH of the solutions and skin oiliness (-0.53), suggesting that alkaline detergents more intensively strip away sebum.

Conclusion. The experimental data obtained in this study can serve as a basis for ensuring effective hand skin protection, provided that dishwashing detergents are chosen consciously, taking into account their composition and pH.