JIGSAW PUZZLE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Jigsaw Puzzle This classic hobby is great as a group activity, for passing the time, and to light up different parts of your brain. But unless you’re an other-level puzzle master slaying an all-white or transparent puzzle (and if you are, salute!), puzzles tend to be vibrantly colored…which brings us to our first top contact allergens: inks and […]
COCONUT WATER: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Coconut Water It’s not (yet) commonly used on skin but it could be: coconut water is very hydrating, moisturizing, a great source of vitamin C, is non-comedogenic, and is not a top contact allergen. It also has growth hormones and cytokines which have been shown to promote cell growth. Like most coconut […]
GRANOLA: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Granola This fiber-rich breakfast staple has lots of great things going for it, but several nickel-watch sites recommend avoiding it if you have patch tested positive to nickel. Our research shows, however, extremely few case reports of contact reactions to granola (one study showed one reaction in 600). Nickel is the top […]
JUNK, ULTRA-PROCESSED, CANNED, INSTANT FOOD: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Junk, Canned, Instant, Long-Lasting, Ultra-Processed Food Chips, dips, canned foods, microwave dinners, chocolate spread, colas, instant anything, long-lasting anything … these foods contain lots of top contact allergens like: Dyes Flavors (which are related to fragrance), benzyl alcohol, etc. Consumable substances from the compositae family Preservatives like propylene glycol, benzoates, parabens, etc. Sulfites Due […]
WEIGHTS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Weights There are a few points of contact that are of concern with weights: smaller dumbbells often have a rubberized exterior that tends to be brightly colored. Heavier weights and weight machines tend to use stainless steel bars which have nickel (the number one contact allergen). While some of these bars may be made of […]
DISHWASHING SOAP: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Dishwashing Soap These detergents and soaps cause more than half of the skin problems — including occupational hand dermatitis — in kitchen staff and homemakers, with new cases of occupational hand dermatitis doubling that of other industries each year. Prolonged exposure to water alone (plus certain foods) can cause irritant and allergic reactions, but dishwashing […]
VINEGAR: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Vinegar Acetic acid is another household staple that was traditionally used as an inexpensive wound cleaner. It is also sometimes used (diluted) in a gentle compress to dry up blisters from allergic contact dermatitis or to help manage atopic dermatitis. The topmost skin barrier layer is the stratum corneum. It has an […]
TOILET PAPER, TISSUE, PAPER TOWEL: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Toilet Paper, Tissue, Paper Towels Considering how much these products are used by billions of people every day, and considering how many common contact allergens go into toilet paper, tissues, and paper towels, it is surprising that there are relatively few incidents of contact dermatitis attributed to them. The top contact allergens and their cross reactants […]
OFFICE SUPPLIES & COMPUTER ACCESSORIES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Office Supplies & Computer Accessories If you have allergic skin, the typical work desk can be a bit of a contact allergen minefield… Nickel So common that it’s rare for any metal not to have some nickel in it, this allergen has been the number one contact allergen for many years. Some good news: in very high-quality metals, […]