Anyone suggest the name of a hypoallergenic shampoo that

[yy4me]

might be available at a local CVS, Target ot other store. I want to read labels, not take another shot at trying to read through on-line descriptions of someone's products. As I have gotten older, I have developed more allergies. The Doctor suggests I shower with warm, not hot water, and to switch to Dove soap. I am doing that but am now developing a rash that is itchy as heck on my shoulders, arms, back and ankles. Strange.

I don't want to go through the 200 or so needle pricks again to come up with a generic list of allergies. To get more definitive results, it is more needle pricks and much more money. Medicare does not cover all of it and I am now awaiting a balance bill for therapy to my arm and shoulder. Until I get that bill, no more visits to the doctor.

I think even a switch from Dove to a hypoallergenic soap would help. I am positive the allergy is caused by something in the soap or shampoo.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Warpy]

1. Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap is about the best you can do

and it's available in liquid and bar form at health food and camping stores. The labels are funnier than Jokes for the John. Dr. B was a religious nut but he made the world's best soap.

I'm allergic to a lot of soaps and shampoos, myself, usually because of fragrance. I have a gallon jug of unscented hand cream and I buy the Dr. B's by the half gallon. I like the peppermint soap, but I think there is an unscented one out now.

As for shampoos, you are just going to have to experiment. Health food store shampoos often have less fragrance than commercial brands. Don't be afraid to open them and sniff.

The rash on your arms and back might be the result of soap remaining on your skin. Try a mixture of half vinegar and half water in a squeeze bottle and rinse off with that, then rinse the vinegar off in the shower. You'll smell like a salad until you dry off, but the smell goes away fast.

[elleng]

2. Don't have a bottle handy to check ingredients,

but you may want to check baby shampoos.

PS, its possible to get Dove without scent.

Good luck.

[mopinko]

3. neutrogena

makes some hypo/fragrance free products, but you can't always find them. last time i was in cvs they had a good selection.
i always thought it would be a good thing for the planet to make these soap makers do an unscented version. i think more people would buy it than they think, and it would cut down on the chemicals used for scents. but it does seem that fewer ff products are out there than there used to be, so maybe people don't really buy them.

[csziggy]

4. Another soap to try is Basics by Dial

It used to be called Pure & Natural but Dial wanted to use that name for their new stinky product line so they renamed it. It's in a light green wrapper, sold in packs of three bars. It is the only soap I have been able to use more than six month since I started getting hives from Ivory and every other soap I tried in my teens. It is a little drying but better than the alternatives. I can't use Dove, either.

Edited to add: I can't recommend a shampoo - every time I find one I like and can tolerate, it is discontinued. Right now I have a few bottles left of a St. Ives one that I loved, but was discontinued years ago. I keep trying out others, but basically my husband gets to use up what I can't keep using.

[Rising Phoenix]

5. VO5

pretty much the only thing that doesn't bug me, and its cheap!

[The empressof all]

6. You also might consider getting a water filter for your shower

Your skin could also be reacting to chlorine or some prevalent mineral in your water supply. Aveeno is probably the most accessible of the hypoallergenic lines.