Biological washing powder not harmful for skin

London, May 22 (UNI) Biological washing powders do not aggravate eczema, researchers claim.

British researchers said the view that the enzyme-enhanced detergents are harsher on the skin is a myth.

They urged doctors to look beyond laundry detergents when seeking triggers for eczema, rashes and itches as there is 'convincing' evidence that biological washing powders do not exacerbate skin complaints.

People buy non-biological powder in the belief that it is kinder to their skin. But on the contrary, while conducting a test on 6,000 adults revealed that biological powder was not harmful to the hands than enzyme-free products.

The enzymes did irritate very damaged skin, but the concentrations used were much higher than would be found in commercially available products.

''We have found that the balance of all the enzymes in laundry detergents are not a cause of either skin irritation or skin allergy,'' Daily Mail quoted Dr Sarah Wakelin, researcher and dermatologist at London's St Mary's Hospital as saying.

Dr Colin Holden, president, British Association of Dermatologists, said, ''The study highlights that flare-ups of eczema should not be written off as caused by washing powder.

Reminding this to the medical professionals that an expert dermatologist should explore all other potential causes, as bio-detergents may well not be the culprit.'' UNI XC PD KN1153