Skip to content 
LAB SAFETY GEAR: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Lab Safety Gear You won’t see goggles, masks, face shields, or gloves on a patch test but they do tend to have enough top contact allergens to warrant caution. Important: you could be exposed to strong chemicals or other risks in a lab setting so do not forego the safety equipment. Some top contact […]
EARPHONES & HEADPHONES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Earphones & Headphones With video calls now commonplace, everyone needs a decent pair of earphones or headphones. If you’ve got contact dermatitis, they (like lots of digital equipment and office supplies) can be an allergen minefield. An updated patch test is your best friend. Some of the top contact allergens to watch out for […]
KNITTING: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen … but barely Knitting The potential contact allergens that could be involved in this popular craft are numerous … Formaldehydes in the preservation of wool and wooden knitting needles Nickel in metal knitting needles Dyes and acrylates in yarn … but because there do seem to be lots of safer alternatives that […]
RETINOIDS (Retinoic Acid, Retinol, Retinaldehyde, Retinyl Palmitate): Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Retinoids These wonderful ingredients are gold standard mainstays in dermatology for good reason: they’re really effective! Retinoids are not top contact allergens but — as is the case with most effective active ingredients — they are irritants. Retinoids are derived from vitamin A and have similar benefits but differ in strength, efficacy, […]
ACRYLATES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Acrylates Named 2012’s Contact Allergen of the Year by the American Contact Dermatitis Society, acrylates are interesting because, a little like clay and ceramics, they are strong irritants and allergens when wet (or in their powder or paste form) but tend to be fine when hardened. Polymerization is the process that causes acrylates to […]
PROPOLIS/BEESWAX: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Beeswax Beeswax by any other name is still beeswax … and a top contact allergen. Beeswax is in propolis (a top contact allergen itself), Cera flava (the wax produced from a honeycomb that is yellow in color) and Cera alba (the same wax but bleached). Beeswax is a popular moisturizing ingredient and thickener in […]
COLORED TABLETS, PILLS, CAPSULES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Colored Tablets, Pills Capsules Many dyes and some colorants are on published lists of top contact allergens. Some foods and supplements use flavors for taste and coloring, and many flavors are allergens themselves or related to fragrance. If you’ve patch tested positive to dyes, colorants, flavors or fragrance, look for your medication in tablets, […]
NON-STICK PAN: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen…but a manageable one! Non-Stick Pan Many non-stick frying pans or other cooking pans are made up of several substances that are allergens. The concern isn’t so much the “non-stick” part of it. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Teflon) is not a top contact allergen. It is sometimes recommended as a coating for metal medical devices or […]
PHENOXYETHANOL: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Phenoxyethanol A popular preservative and stabilizer found in lots of products — from lots of hair styling products to various cosmetics, insect repellent, medicines, ultrasound gels, sunscreens, perfume, antiseptics, pet care and more — phenoxyethanol is on published lists of top contact allergens. If you’ve patch tested positive to phenoxyethanol, look out for it […]
