ARNICA: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Arnica One of the oldest drug plants and still a favorite natural remedy for aches, pain, swelling, sore muscles and arthritis, arnica is a top contact allergen. The actual herb is toxic to the liver and can be fatal when eaten (the FDA classifies pure arnica as an unsafe herb), but homeopathic oral supplements […]
MUSCLE BALMS & SPRAYS, CAMPHOR: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Muscle Balms & Sprays “Muscle balm” or “spray” is not, as such, an allergen. And there are loads of topical pain relieving muscle preparations, each with its own unique formulation. However, most contain menthol, mint, clove, camphor, cinnamon, and/or arnica, which give the balms their yummy, soothing hot-cold tingling or numbing, but which are all published common allergens. Others pile […]
KINETIN: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Kinetin Not on published allergen lists and a cytokinin, a naturally-occurring compound that exists in the DNA of cells of various organisms (including humans and many plants). In plants, it is known to prolong plant life, promote cell division, prevent green plant leaves from turning brown and stimulate plants to grow. Present in […]
PERFUME/FRAGRANCE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen…and Photo-Allergen! Perfume, Fragrance And boy, what common and consistent allergens! Fragrance has the dubious honor of being the 2007 Allergen of the Year of the American Contact Dermatitis Society. Fragrance is everywhere, and even natural, organic fragrances can be top allergens. If you’ve patch tested positive for fragrance, there’s quite a bit to avoid, including: Eugenol, cloves, […]
MICA: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Mica This shiny silicate found naturally as crystals or as tiny scales in various rocks is known as “nature’s glitter” and gives a beautiful shimmer to cosmetics. It is not on published contact allergen lists. A concern is regarding the cruelty of its mining, which makes use of child labor in India (the Jharkhand state in India had the largest […]
DIRT, MUD, MUD MASKS: Allergen, or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen (but be wary) Dirt, Mud, Mud Masks “Dirt” and “mud” might not appear as such in patch test trays, but they can cause contact irritations and allergies. Dirt is a common culprit in irritant contact dermatitis — when the skin is regularly exposed to something over time that irritates it. Dirt under grass and plants might become […]
PHONE CASE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Your Mobile Phone Case They wouldn’t appear as such on published contact allergen lists, but many mobile phone protective cases have top allergens to be wary of, such as nickel and rubber. The phone itself may be less of a concern as touch screens have come to replace phones with metal keypads. The metal back […]
GIN: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Gin This cocktail staple is not on published lists of contact allergens…but if you’ve got sensitive skin, you might be a little wary of the mixers and garnishes. Lemon and lime, for example, are common allergens, as is mint. Quinine is known to cause drug-induced photosensitivity. And artificial mixers can contain loads of allergens, […]
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Activated Charcoal This trendy ingredient has a slew of viral videos touting its efficacy at removing toxins in everything from toothpastes to facial masks. While not on published lists of contact allergens, however, we’d suggest a little bit of caution. First, clarification: this isn’t the same stuff you use for BBQs. Activated […]