This is an email sent by a patient to her dermatologist which she then shared with us (she was prescribed several of VMV HYPOALLERGENICS® products). She included “selfies” of her lips while healing. It’s a great example of how powerful prevention can be at actually clearing an existing problem.
“Good day, Dr.! Thank you for taking such good care of me.
Attached are photos I took documenting my lips. The Boo-Boo Balm helped a lot! And without the patch test, I would never have guessed that I would be allergic to mint and nickel of all things!
Feel free to use the photos to show other patients what patch testing can do! I’m doing great, thank you for asking! 🙂 Although now I’m more careful about the things I touch, use and eat!” – Mila
What Worked:
After her patch test showed reactions to mint and nickel, Mila switched to Essence Skin-Saving Toothpaste and, for the lips, Grandma Minnie’s The Big, Brave Boo-Boo Balm. Clarity was achieved in 6 days and has since been maintained.
What is a patch test? In brief, it’s a painless procedure that shows you the ingredients and substances that you are sensitive to. It can be tremendously effective and can save you lots of time, expense, discomfort and frustration from random trial and error. It is your best bet to accurately isolate specific ingredients that you might be sensitive to.
But you don’t have sensitive skin or rashes, you say? It’s a pretty big myth to think that hypoallergenicity and patch testing are only for those with eczema or very sensitive skin. For example, did you know that…
- Darkening can be caused by photo-allergens or photosensitizers?
- Darkening can also be post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or darkening after a skin trauma like a pimple, insect bite or rash?
- Acne can be caused by allergens — they may not clog pores the way comedogens do, but can irritate the pore, causing infection and acne?
- That active ingredients in cosmeceuticals work better in a hypoallergenic formulation? Because there’s less risk of irritation, a formulation can use higher (more effective) concentrations of an active ingredient.
Check out Hypoallergenic Benefits ALL Skin: Sensitivity, Acne, Dark Spots, Children, Cosmeceuticals for more information.
To find a dermatologist who does patch tests, check search the website of the American Contact Dermatitis Society or ask your country’s dermatological or contact dermatitis societies.
For more on patch tests, see Patch Test: What: What Is It and Should I Get One? in skintelligencenter.com.
Or shop our validated hypoallergenic products at vmvhypoallergenics.com.
We can customize recommendations for you based on your patch test results. Have you ever had a patch test?
