DANDRUFF SHAMPOO: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Dandruff Shampoo There are many ingredients in typical dandruff shampoos that could be causing your scalp issues … even the “dandruff” itself. Why? A dry, flaking, itching scalp can be many things, such as seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, or an overgrowth of the Malassezia fungus (normally a harmless part of our skin’s microbiome) due to […]
CACAO, COCOA: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen … but can cause allergic reactions Cacao, Cocoa It’s unlikely to see cacao (the raw, unprocessed version of cocoa), cocoa, or chocolate in a patch test tray and while there are case reports of allergic or systemic contact dermatitis to these substances, they are still relatively rare. The risk can be higher if […]
ANXIETY: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen … But Quite Bad for Skin Anxiety If anxiety could be put in a patch test, we bet it would make the top of published allergen lists quickly — it’s quite common (the World Health Organization calls “anxiety disorders … the world’s most common mental disorders”) and triggers lots and lots of […]
WILD YAM: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Wild Yam Perhaps because Dioscorea villosa is still relatively new in skincare, it is not a top contact allergen (the more common an ingredient is, the higher the risk of it becoming a contact allergen). It also does not yet have many clinical studies to validate its claims. Wild yam contains a […]
BRACES, RETAINERS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Braces, Retainers Nickel in the metals is normally the top culprit (it has also consistently ranked number one in published lists of top contact allergens for decades and was the American Contact Dermatitis Society’s Allergen of the Year in 2008). But there are other materials to look out for like glues, acrylics, and latex […]
SESQUITERPENE LACTONE, TERPENES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Sesquiterpene lactone (STL), Terpenes “Terpenes” is the broader term for the compounds responsible for the odor of most plants (they’re the primary constituents of essential oils, so many of which are top contact allergens). Sesquiterpene lactones are a class of terpenes and are standard inclusions in patch test trays. Contact dermatitis to these substances […]
CLOTHES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Clothes, Textiles No, not all clothes, but yes, enough clothes have top published contact allergens in them for us to call the category an allergen. If you’re noticing dryness, darkening, itching, redness, or other skin issues on areas that come into contact with your clothing — from underwear areas to your knees, elbows, abdomen, […]
PEN, MARKER: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Pens and Markers Many pens and markers have top contact allergens to look out for. This doesn’t mean you can’t write with any of them but it does mean that if you have sensitive skin, there’s some stuff to look out for (and as always, be guided by your patch test!) Top contact allergens […]
SELF TANNER: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Self Tanners While some products could be safer for sensitive skin, many self tanners tend to contain lots of published top contact allergens, including: Self tanners are definitely safer than tanning in the sun or in UV beds to prevent against skin cancer but be guided by your patch test results (there may be […]