As many sensitive skin sufferers will know, there is an endless list of things that can flare up our skin and cause irritation. One of the biggest problems we face is choosing which washing powders to use for our clothes. For many years, experts have told us that non-biological washing powders are better for our skin and cause less irritations, however new studies may show different results. So how does this affect our washing powder choices?

There are two types of washing powder, biological and non-biologcal. Biological washing powders use enzymes to break down stains and clean clothes and can only be used at lower temperatures as hotter washes can de-nature the enzymes to prevent them from working. This is potentially more cost-effective as it means we are able to wash our clothes at lower temperatures, thus saving energy. Non-biological washing powders, however, contain no enzymes and so you may need to use a hotter cycle to rid your clothes of tougher stains. The enzymes used in biological washing powders have been thought to irritate sensitive and broken skin to cause flare-ups for people with this skin-type.

However, recent studies suggest that these claims are unfounded and there is new and extensive evidence to suggest that biological washing powders are safe for people with sensitive skin. Researchers from three British hospitals have published new findings in the British Journal of Dermatology; tests were carried out on around 6000 adults using biological washing powder on their hands (one of the most sensitive areas of skin on our bodies). The results showed that the biological powder was no more harmful than the non-biological powder to the skin.

Dr. Sarah Wakelin, dermatologist at St. Mary's Hospital in London stated that, "What we have found is that ultimately, the balance of all the enzymes in laundry detergents are not a cause of either skin irritation or skin allergy. 

"Investigations of numerous individuals with skin complaints attributed to laundry products demonstrated convincingly that enzymes were not responsible. 

"Indeed, enzyme-containing laundry products have an extensive history of safe use. 

"Thus, the supposed adverse effects of enzymes on the skin seem to be a consequence of mythology."

There was however, some irritation experienced on broken skin when enzymatic washing powder was tested in extremely high concentrations. However, the concentrations of the same enzymes in biological washing powders used in the home are significantly lower than this, and so the results remain unchanged.

The most important thing to practice, as with any washing product, is caution. Test the washing powder first on a small number of clothes before washing everything you own in the powder. It is better to be safe than sorry and, whilst these results are very convincing, this may not be the case for everyone.