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 […]

OAKMOSS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Oakmoss This woody, earthy fragrance from tree lichen is a favorite in men’s cologne and skincare, is part of Fragrance Mix in standard patch test trays, and is definitely a published top contact allergen. Moss is generally a contact allergen, too, but oakmoss (Evernia prunastri) is actually a lichen (a fungus-algae hybrid that grows […]

PARAFFIN WAX: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Not An Allergen Paraffin Wax We’re talking cosmetic grade, lab-tested paraffin wax, of course, to ensure that it is hygienic and appropriate for use on the skin, but paraffin wax is really not a top contact allergen. So much so that, like mineral oil and petrolatum, paraffin wax is a favorite among dermatologists as a […]

INSECTICIDE, PESTICIDE, BUG SPRAY: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Insecticide, Pesticide, Bug Spray These products wouldn’t necessarily be listed as such on published allergen lists or appear like this on patch test trays, but lots of their ingredients would! Common allergens found in insecticides, pesticides, and bug spray include: balsam of Peru, benzophenones, formaldehyde, fragrance, isothiazolinone, pyrethrin, permethrin (avoid if you patch tested […]

GYM: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Gyms, Yoga Studios, etc. You can’t patch test a gym so it’s never going to make it to published lists of top contact allergens but most gyms, yoga studios and other fitness environments are a minefield of top contact allergens. Read on to learn what they plus how you can avoid them so that […]

CALCIUM CARBONATE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Not An Allergen Calcium Carbonate This naturally occurring substance is all around us, such as in pearls, shells, shellfish skeletons, eggshells and rocks (calcite and aragonite minerals). Calcium carbonate also very common as a dietary supplement, in foods, and in cosmetics. All of this makes the fact that it is not on published lists of […]

MERCURY: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen, possibly … and a poison Mercury As with lead, while a skin rash or generalized dermatitis is a symptom of mercury poisoning and while mercury is a top contact irritant, it is not listed in published lists of top causes of T-cell mediated contact dermatitis (this might possibly be because its use in cosmetics […]

PILLOWS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Allergen Pillows You’re not going to see “pillows” on published contact allergen lists but you’ll probably see quite a few of the materials that go into making them (and their cases)! There are exceptions, of course, but the majority of pillows out there contain the following top contact allergens: The cushy foam and padding can […]