Detergents disrupt barrier integrity and induce inflammation in mouse and human skin
A novel approach for rapidly assessing epithelial barrier integrity reveals the negative impact of detergents and sodium lauryl (dodecyl) sulphate on skin health
The results underscore the pressing need to establish a new safety standard for household cleaning products
The Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF) today announced the findings of a new study demonstrating the mechanisms of skin epithelial barrier impairment caused by household laundry detergents. Published online today in Allergy, Household laundry detergents disrupt barrier integrity and induce inflammation in mouse and human skin, by Rinaldi et al., the research reveals the detrimental effects of widely-used laundry detergents and sodium lauryl (dodecyl) sulphate (SDS) on skin epithelial integrity and inflammation –– even at the significantly low concentrations that we are exposed to in our daily life.
The study comes from the epithelial biology research group at SIAF, associated with the University of Zurich, which has been working on epithelial barriers and environmental substances for more than 20 years. A new method has been developed to measure the damage to the skin barrier integrity induced by exposure to household laundry detergents and SDS in a few seconds by using electrical impedance spectroscopy.
The continuous use of household cleaning products can impair the protective cellular linings of the skin, respiratory tract, and gut, known as the epithelial barriers. This impairment can lead to microbial dysbiosis, bacterial migration, chronic inflammation, and immune dysfunction. The Epithelial Barrier Theory proposes that modern society’s dependence on barrier-damaging agents — which include surfactants, preservatives, emulsifiers, microplastics and other chemicals— is responsible for the global, epidemic-level rise in chronic diseases observed during the last 65 years.
Household laundry detergents and sodium lauryl (dodecyl) sulfate damage skin epithelial cells
An impaired epithelial barrier function has been implicated in various skin and respiratory allergies, metabolic and autoimmune disorders, such as asthma, allergies, dermatitis, colitis, diabetes, hepatitis, and obesity. The prevalence of these diseases has markedly increased in Western culture since the 1960s along with industrialization and modernization. SDS is one of the most commonly used anionic surfactants in household cleaners, dishwasher detergents, and even in toothpaste. Nevertheless, there is no international standardization for the dose of these toxic substances. SDS was first introduced in the mid-20th century in commercial laundry detergents as a surfactant, and it is now found in a wide range of cleaning products at a range from 5-20% SDS.
The research revealed that highly diluted household laundry detergents and SDS damage the skin epithelial barrier by using mouse models and biostabilized natural human skin (NativeSkin®, in collaboration with Genoskin, https://genoskin.com/). This barrier disruption was induced by damage, stress and inflammatory responses in epithelial cells. The study highlights that these effects were observed at doses significantly lower than those recommended for handwashing and those present in the residual laundry liquid after rinsing.
An Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) tool (Nevisense®, in collaboration with Scibase, https://scibase.com/) was used in the study to detect skin barrier dysfunction/impairment. The device acquires skin barrier measurements within only seconds and is currently available for clinical use in diagnosing melanoma and studying inflammatory skin conditions. Exciting research is ongoing in this context for the early prediction of infantile eczema development in babies, patient follow-up and response of patients to various dermatitis treatments.
Link to the article for further reading (open for free download):
https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15891
Correspondence: Dr. Yasutaka Mitamura, Principal Investigator, Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research, Davos, Switzerland
Prof. Dr. Cezmi A. Akdis, Director, Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research, Davos, Switzerland
E-mail: yasutaka.mitamura@siaf.uzh.ch
cezmi.akdis@siaf.uzh.ch
Telephone: ++41 78 738 82 84
Website: https://epithelialbarriertheory.com/