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HOTEL, GYM, SPA, AIRLINE AMENITIES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Hotel, Gym, Spa, Airline Amenities You wouldn’t see these items in a patch test tray as such, but so many product amenities given to customers for free (or provided for their use) in hotels, gyms, spas, and airlines are not hypoallergenic and tend to contain lots of top contact allergens. Some popular amenities include […]
COLOPHONY (ROSIN): Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Colophony (Rosin) This top skin allergen comes from the sap of pine, spruce, and other coniferous trees (a residue of the distillation of turpentine). Its stickiness is so useful that it can be difficult to avoid. Where Colophony tends to be present: What else to watch out for: Colophony/rosin in other names like abietic […]
VEGAN (CLEAN, NATURAL) SKINCARE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Vegan Skincare The words “vegan skincare” would not appear on standard patch test trays as such but many products labeled “vegan” (along with products labeled “natural” or “organic”) contain lots of top contact allergens. If you have allergic contact dermatitis, it would be best to exercise caution. The bottom line is that terms like […]
COLLAGEN: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Collagen Neither the protein abundantly found in your body that gives skin its elasticity and strength nor the supplements derived from fish or cows (and other sources) is currently a top contact allergen. But supplements and collagen in skincare might also not be doing much for your skin. In topically-applied products, collagen […]
MINERAL OIL: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Mineral Oil Not a top contact dermatitis (which is impressive considering how common it is in so many products), this oil is a favorite among dermatologists due to how safe, soothing, moisturizing, and occlusive (prevents water loss) it is and its usability on several parts of the body, including the mucosa of […]
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 […]
