PLUSH TOY (Stuffed Animal): Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Plush Toy (Stuffed Animal) “Teddy” may be your little one’s cuddliest pal but many plush toys are contact allergen-heavy. Topping the list are strong dyes, especially in toys with bright colors like this woeful turtle’s green, the purple of a certain singing dinosaur, and the bright red fur of a very popular muppet. Less […]

PPD (Paraphenylenediamine): Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen PPD (Paraphenylenediamine) American Contact Dermatitis Society‘s Allergen of the Year in 2006, PPD or paraphenylenediamine is no joke, especially in hair dye, where it’s most known for causing trouble. This is not surprising considering how severe some reactions can be and how hard it is to find an alternative. PPD may be “just one ingredient” but […]

FACIAL CLEANSING BRUSHES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen … irritant & acnegen, too Facial Cleansing Brushes Popular for their surface exfoliation and deeper clean, facial cleansing brushes are not without risks to the skin. The gadgets themselves would not appear in published lists of top contact allergens but many of their materials would. Silicone bristles could be ok unless they’re rubberized silicone […]

DUST MITES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Dust Mites It’s not the bite of this arachnid that’s the main issue but its waste — more specifically, the membrane that surrounds the mite’s fecal pellets. The chitin in its hard exoskeleton is also an aeroallergen (airborne allergen). We come into contact with it when immature mites shed their exoskeletons. This means that […]

THIMEROSAL: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Thimerosal Merthiolate, thiomersalatem, sodium ethylmercury salicylate — thimerosal. This organic mercury is a top contact allergen and had a long history of safety and efficacy as a preservative. But, due to concerns about exposure to mercury-containing ingredients, it is now less commonly found. Thimerosal used to be a staple antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal as […]

AIR CONDITIONER: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Not An Allergen … but practice some care Air Conditioner “Air conditioner” does not appear on published lists of top contact allergens. That said, dry air from indoor cooling (and heating) can irritate skin and cold air is also an irritant. Note that these are irritants and not contact allergens. Irritant and allergic reactions are […]

WATER: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Not An Allergen … but (surprise!) an irritant! Water Water is life. We all need it to survive and it makes up a lot of our bodies. It’s also cleansing and healing … and not a top contact allergen. In fact, it’s used to rinse off allergens that we come into contact with. But, as […]

EYEGLASSES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Eyeglasses Rubber in nose pads and nickel and gold elements in metal frames tend to be the biggest culprits in eyeglasses but some plastic ones can also have dyes (avoid dark colors and vibrant hues) and benzophenones. Wooden frames could be options but try to look for ones without paint or varnish and other […]

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 […]