Reaction n. -A response to a stimulus.  A reverse or opposing action. (The Free Dictionary)

IC Reaction n. A painful response to food, water, chemicals, herbs, smells, stress, drink, sexual intimacy, hair/face/body products, medication, cleaning supplies.  The list for IC Reaction is not inclusive and can vary by person to person and from moment to moment.  (Carin Willis, IC Patient Definition)

It can be difficult having IC no matter if your case is mild, moderate or severe because of all of the aspects of our bodies and lives the disease touches.  I sometimes hate having to defend my choice to eat certain foods, abstain from using swimming pools and hot tubs and using certain body products for fear of it causing a painful reaction.  People can usually grasp the concept of a painful bladder disease but it is usually more difficult to understand the allergies to food, drink, chemicals, etc., or that by ingesting any of the aforementioned items might cause a horrific flare-up of pain. 

I personally still have the occasional reaction (some IC patients call them flare-ups) to foods that other people might prepare or by trying out a new shampoo that is touted as being free of chemicals and made for "sensitive people".  It is a frustrating part about living with IC.  The one thing I have learned to control is my reaction to a reaction.  Instead of flooding my body with more panic and fear, I try to calm my fears and remind myself the painful reaction will pass away in 24 hours or less.  I drink extra water to try and flush the reactionary items out of my body.  It's the little things that can make a huge difference when dealing with IC and all of its machinations of pain and confusion.
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Have you really, really looked at the ingredients listed for shampoos, skincare, and other hygiene products?  Amazingly long lists full of tongue twister names which sounds amusing until you realize that most of the products have their base made from petroleum and other toxic chemically enhanced by-products.  Even the so called "natural" or "organic" products can include items which cause further pain and allergic reactions for anyone suffering from IC. 

Most people do not realize (or remember) that our skin is in itself its own organ, so anything that touches our skin (including our scalps) goes into our bloodstream and then has to eventually be broken down into our livers.  It makes sense that daily use of these body "cleaning" items would be harmful to people with IC (and to healthy people for that matter).  It is hard but not impossible to find products that are gentle on your body with the added bonus of being more gentle on the environment.  Please check out my "Helpful IC Resources" page for some product suggestions. 

Another idea is to go back to the basics and create your own shampoos and soaps.  Simple and easy to make recipes can be found doing a quick Google search.  Please remember that anything that you make from scratch does not include binding agents (saponified oils) so most things that you make will be more liquid than cream like, but work just fine.  It is also important to remember that any products that you make will need to be used up within a week or less or the ingredients might go rancid.  Some easy suggestions:

Use olive oil soap for your skin.  Some olive oil soap-the really good kinds that are made in Italy or Turkey can also be used to wash your hair.

Good old-fashioned mayonnaise makes a great conditioner for your hair. 

Blondes can rinse with lemon juice, while brunettes and red heads can rinse with rosemary that has been soaked in warm water for 10 minutes on the stove top (cool before using). 

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