CHIPS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen … as a rule, but there are options! Chips There are so, so many snack chips and most contain a trifecta of top contact allergens: preservatives, food coloring, and flavoring (lots of flavors are related to fragrance). A patch test can confirm if you have a contact allergy to these ingredients. When eating or […]
BLUE, DISPERSE BLUE DYES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Disperse Blue Dyes These dyes are top contact allergens, and big ones. The American Contact Dermatitis Society named Disperse Blue Dyes Contact Allergen of the Year in 2000. You’ll tend to see these pop up on your patch test results as disperse blue 106 and disperse blue 124. Note that textile allergens are not in […]
BASKET: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Basket There are some caveats for sure, but generally speaking there are few to no top contact allergens in a simple basket with natural, untreated, and uncolored fibers that is woven by hand. Some of the top contact allergens to watch out for: Items with shine as that could suggest a resin […]
FLAVORING: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Flavoring While there are some natural extracts like ginger root that are not top contact allergens, many flavors (natural or not) found in foods, beverages, and oral care products are. These include mint, eucalyptus, lemon, orange, Balsam of Peru — this last allergen has several components and cross reactants that should be avoided, too, […]
PLASTIC: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen … but be cautious Plastic This is an interesting call. As a rule, plastics contain lots of allergens like dyes, acrylates, benzophenones, resorcinol monobenzoate, isocyanate (in polyurethane foam, glue, resins), etc. and plastics are everywhere — yet reports of reactions to plastic items are rare. There are some case studies of allergic […]
BUTTERFLY, CATERPILLAR, MOTH: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Butterfly, Caterpillar, Moth These insects might not make it to a patch test tray but many of the things they come into contact with would — like flowers (their nectar is a primary food source) and plants. Plus, if you’re a butterfly enthusiast, chances are you’re spending time in gardens or other grassy, flower-filled […]
SHOES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Shoes So many types of footwear (sandals, pumps, boots, sneakers, water socks, etc.) have so many top contact allergens that most would be considered prime suspects behind skin problems on the feet. Some of the more common culprits include: Rubber (and therefore thiuram) Dyes and paraphenylenediamine (PPD) Leather Formaldehyde (in preservatives but also in […]
PEARL (Boba or Tapioca): Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen … but may cross react Pearl (Boba or Tapioca) Bubble tea (also called milk tea or milk boba tea) is a Taiwanese drink that has taken the world by storm. The signature “pearls” in the drink are made of tapioca which, when uncolored and unflavored, is not a top contact allergen. That […]
PEARL (Oyster): Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Pearl (Oyster) Harvesting pearls yourself might put your skin at risk of things that could irritate it, but otherwise, pearls are not a top contact allergen. If you have environmental or animal cruelty concerns, synthetic pearls could be an option. Just be wary of plastic ones that might have dyes or preservatives […]