STAINLESS STEEL WATER BOTTLE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen … maybe Stainless Steel Water Bottle Nickel has been the number one contact allergen for years, was the 2008 Allergen of the Year of the American Contact Dermatitis Society, and is everywhere. When we say that a stainless steel water bottle is probably not a contact allergen, we assume that it is a pretty plain, […]
PHENOXYETHANOL: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Phenoxyethanol A popular preservative and stabilizer found in lots of products — from lots of hair styling products to various cosmetics, insect repellent, medicines, ultrasound gels, sunscreens, perfume, antiseptics, pet care and more — phenoxyethanol is on published lists of top contact allergens. If you’ve patch tested positive to phenoxyethanol, look out for it […]
GINGER ROOT EXTRACT (Flavor): Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Ginger Root Extract (flavor) An ancient spice and folk medicine whose popularity has never waned, ginger is touted for its flavor and anti-inflammatory goodness the world over. Considering how popular it has been for eons, the fact that it is not on published lists of top contact allergens and has but one […]
CARDAMOM: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Cardamom This delicious spice (Elettaria cardamomum) is made up of essential oils that include terpinyl acetate, terpineol, terpene terpinene, sabinene, and cineole. Terpinene and terpineol, in particular, are top contact allergens which can be found in compositae (feverfew, chamomile) and mint. Cardamom is well known to cause both localized contact dermatitis (such as on […]
Skin & Food Allergies Are Not The Same Thing
If You Can’t Eat It, You Can Probably Still Use It In A Cream. “I’m allergic to almonds…can I use a cream with an ingredient extracted from almonds?” “I can’t eat coconuts…that means I can’t use coconut oil, right?” If you have prick tested positive to something, it is more likely than not that you […]
What Is The Validated Hypoallergenic Rating System (VH-Rating System)?
How can you tell if a product is really hypoallergenic? VMV’s unique VH-Rating System shows you!
For Sensitive Skin, Is Sticking To One Brand Really Safer or a Marketing Ploy?
Marcie Mom from EczemaBlues.com interviews Laura, CEO of VMV Hypoallergenics, to find out more about product claims and why they’re important when choosing your skin care…particularly if you and/or your child have eczema. Is it really not a good idea to use different brands? Or is this just a way for companies to keep customers away from the competition? A: […]
Cosmetics Ingredients: What — and How Much Of It — Is Really In a Product?
Marcie Mom from EczemaBlues.com interviews Laura, CEO of VMV Hypoallergenics, to find out more about product claims and why they’re important when choosing your skin care…particularly if you or your child has eczema. Q: Is the Ingredients List on cosmetics packaging compulsory and regulated? Does the it cover all ingredients? Or can companies pick and choose what they want to reveal? A: In many countries, cosmetics are regulated […]
NOVEL CORONAVIRUS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (SARS-CoV-2) Please note that this page is a summary of what we currently know about novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and skin concerns. As of the time of this writing, skin lesions were beginning to be described in COVID-19. Avoiding rashes and other skin problems from the irritants and contact allergens described below is important as they may be mistaken […]