Self-perceived sensory responses to soap and synthetic detergent bars correlate with clinical signs of irritation.
BACKGROUND
Epidemiologic studies indicate that after using soaps and other personal care products, many consumers experience irritation. In 50% of the cases the feelings of skin dryness, itching, and stinging occur in the absence of visible signs of irritation.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine the relation between self-perceived sensory responses of panelists to cleansing products and clinical signs of irritation.


METHODS
A combination of exaggerated arm-washing methods was designed to induce clinical signs of irritation with psychometric techniques developed to quantify sensations.


RESULTS
Two studies demonstrated that panelists could reproducibly differentiate between products on the basis of the sensations they felt and that there was a significant correlation (frequently r > 0.80) between these and the observable signs. In the case of skin dryness panelists differentiated products several washing cycles before observable differences were detected.


CONCLUSIONS
Sensory evaluations of irritation yield additional information on soap and detergent irritancy beyond clinical observations and expand understanding of the irritation process.
Simion
F A
FA
Colgate-Palmolive Technology Center, Piscataway, New Jersey.
Rhein
L D
LD
Morrison
B M
BM
Scala
D D
DD
Salko
D M
DM
Kligman
A M
AM
Grove
G L
GL
D003116:Color; D017453:Dermatitis, Irritant / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D003890:Desiccation; D003902:Detergents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004890:Erythema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm; D006801:Humans; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011537:Pruritus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D012915:Soaps / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible / Q000187:drug effects
D003902:Detergents; D012915:Soaps