Skin Cleanser Essay

With regards to cleansing soap and water is not advised for skin cleansing post-incontinence, soap adversely affects the skin by removing natural oils which results in dryness. Thus making the skin more vulnerable. The majority of soaps and cleansers are alkaline, with a pH around 9, and when used routinely to cleanse the skin of patients with incontinence these can affect the skin’s acid mantle (Kirsner and Froelich, 1998). The pH of the skin normally is 4.5 – 6.2, which creates the acid mantle. By changing its natural acid state and affecting the protective layer of the stratum corneum and the balance of bacteria, it may lead to increased skin vulnerability (Ananathapadmanabhan et al. 2004). Similarly patients experiencing incontinence problems will have their skin cleansed more often, therefore, the risk of skin damage is also increased. Thus the use of a skin cleanser, specifically …show more content…
When applied, the wipe will deliver these three essential elements in one step to the affected areas leaving the skin cleansed, moisturised and protected from further exposure to the irritants that are present in the next incontinence episode. Furthermore, in their evaluation, Whittingham and May (1998) demonstrated that the use of no-rinse cleansers has favourable effects on patients’ skin, with regards to improvement in skin barrier protection inclusive of moisturisation and cleansing. Perineal skin can be cleansed using a moisturising skin emollient such found in E45, however, these products do not have an integral barrier protection and will often need to have additional barrier protection applied to the skin following usage such, as petroleum jelly or barrier films such as found in the 3M Cavilon No Sting Barrier