CAR: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Car Yet another thing that won’t fit on your patch test but yet another thing that’s riddled with top contact allergens! Knowing what they are — and, crucially, using your patch test results as a guide — can spare your skin a lot of problems. Some top contact allergens that are in common cars: […]
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 […]
CLOVE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Clove Clove oil is eugenol, which is extracted from cloves, and which is one of the allergens in the Fragrance Mix included standard patch test trays, definitely making it a top contact allergen. Where can you find clove oil Because it smells good and has antiseptic properties, clove oil is found in lots of […]
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 […]
OAT MILK: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen … but can cause allergic reactions Oat Milk Oats and oatmeal aren’t top contact allergens (oatmeal is a traditionally popular ingredient to help manage atopic and contact dermatitis and other skin problems). There have been some reports of contact dermatitis and contact urticaria to oats and oatmeal, but if you, in particular, aren’t […]
CACTUS EXTRACT: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Cactus Extract While cactus spines can certainly be painful and produce an acute inflammatory reaction, and while there do not seem to be many clinical studies yet on the benefits of cactus extracts for skin, it is currently not a top contact allergen. A heads up: cactus extracts are relatively new in cosmetics […]
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. […]
APPAREL, ATHLETIC & SPORTS: EXERCISE, GYM, YOGA CLOTHING: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Athletic or Sports Apparel Workout clothes won’t be in published lists of top contact allergens and they wouldn’t be in a standard patch test tray (a bit more on this below) but most sporting clothes are made up of lots of top contact allergens. Scroll to the bottom to learn how you can work […]
ONION: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Onion It’ll make you cry but probably not because of what it’s doing to your skin. While there are reports of onions causing IgE-mediated food allergy, T cell-mediated skin allergy (contact dermatitis) to onions is rare and they are not on published lists of top contact allergens. If you have prick, scratch, […]