SNEAKERS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Sneakers So many types of shoes (sandals, pumps, boots, water socks, etc.) have so many top contact allergens that most would be considered prime suspects behind skin problems on the feet. Sneakers are definitely up there (and can be more of an issue since they’re often worn during exercise!). Some top contact allergens in […]

XYLAZINE (“TRANQ”): Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Not An Allergen, but dangerous Xylazine (“Tranq”) Unless a majority of medical professionals and *multiple* clinical studies endorse it, you shouldn’t use a medicine made for animals. Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer making headlines as the “zombie drug” for its tendency to cause black, festering wounds in humans, sometimes severe enough to require limb amputation. […]

MERCURY: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen, possibly … and a poison Mercury As with lead, while a skin rash or generalized dermatitis is a symptom of mercury poisoning and while mercury is a top contact irritant, it is not listed in published lists of top causes of T-cell mediated contact dermatitis (this might possibly be because its use in cosmetics […]

BRUNO (We should talk about): Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Not An Allergen Bruno Madrigal A lot of people feared Bruno because he was different and his powers were not well understood. He himself isn’t an allergen but his exclusion and exile exposed him to more than a few top contact allergens (poor Bruno on many levels). Living behind the walls means lots and lots […]

CARBA MIX (Rubber, Rubberized Handles): Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Carba Mix Carba chemicals are rubber accelerators. They are needed to make natural rubber latex suitable for manufacturing many rubber products and to make the vulcanization of rubber go faster. You can find carba mix in most rubber and rubberized things, including: travel mug handles; rubberized grips on weights, rackets and other gym or […]

PLASTIC: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Not An Allergen … but be cautious Plastic This is an interesting call. As a rule, plastics contain lots of allergens like dyes, acrylates, benzophenones, resorcinol monobenzoate, isocyanate (in polyurethane foam, glue, resins), etc. and plastics are everywhere — yet reports of reactions to plastic items are rare. There are some case studies of allergic […]

BUTTERFLY, CATERPILLAR, MOTH: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Butterfly, Caterpillar, Moth These insects might not make it to a patch test tray but many of the things they come into contact with would — like flowers (their nectar is a primary food source) and plants. Plus, if you’re a butterfly enthusiast, chances are you’re spending time in gardens or other grassy, flower-filled […]

SHOES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Shoes So many types of footwear (sandals, pumps, boots, sneakers, water socks, etc.) have so many top contact allergens that most would be considered prime suspects behind skin problems on the feet. Some of the more common culprits include: Rubber (and therefore thiuram) Dyes and paraphenylenediamine (PPD) Leather Formaldehyde (in preservatives but also in […]

PEARL (Oyster): Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Not An Allergen Pearl (Oyster) Harvesting pearls yourself might put your skin at risk of things that could irritate it, but otherwise, pearls are not a top contact allergen. If you have environmental or animal cruelty concerns, synthetic pearls could be an option. Just be wary of plastic ones that might have dyes or preservatives […]