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BEES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen … but perhaps not what you think Bees The glorious, vital, pollinating insect itself is not a top contact allergen. A bee sting is painful. For those with an IgE-mediated allergy to bee stings, they can be life threatening. But even an allergy to bee stings (Type 1 reaction) is not a contact skinallergy […]
SEASHELLS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Seashells When handled straight from the beach or ocean, there are risks of skin unpleasantness such as reactions from algae, sand flea bites, or other environmental remnants. But seashells that have been out of the ocean for some time are not top contact allergens. Try not to purchase them or remove them […]
PRESERVATIVES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Preservatives Found in everything from plastics to fabrics, household goods, vaping compounds, medications, nutritional supplements, hair care and styling products, and certainly skincare and cosmetics, preservatives play an important role in preventing the growth of fungi and bacteria and keeping these items from decomposing or growing mould when contaminated by a microbe. Preservatives are […]
KNITTING: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen … but barely Knitting The potential contact allergens that could be involved in this popular craft are numerous … Formaldehydes in the preservation of wool and wooden knitting needles Nickel in metal knitting needles Dyes and acrylates in yarn … but because there do seem to be lots of safer alternatives that […]
UBE (Purple Yam): Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Ube (Purple Yam) Originally from the Philippines where it is a staple in the local cuisine (especially in sweets), this Instagram-fave food is not a top contact allergen. As it’s basically a bright purple sweet potato, ube (pronounced “ooh-beh”) shares the sweet potato’s health benefits and is a great source of fiber, […]
ACRYLATES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Acrylates Named 2012’s Contact Allergen of the Year by the American Contact Dermatitis Society, acrylates are interesting because, a little like clay and ceramics, they are strong irritants and allergens when wet (or in their powder or paste form) but tend to be fine when hardened. Polymerization is the process that causes acrylates to […]
TURPENTINE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Turpentine This pine-derived solvent is a mainstay for painters and hobbyists, and can be found in some cold remedies and liniments. While some reports consider turpentine more of a skin irritant than an actual contact allergen, cases of allergic contact dermatitis to it have been reported, it is a known cause of occupational contact […]
RUBBER: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Rubber This top contact allergen is known to cause rashes, peeling, itching but also hyper- and hypo-pigmentations. Complicating things somewhat is that reactions to rubber can be due to the natural latex sap of the rubber tree or an allergy to the different chemicals used in the manufacturing of rubber such as: Thiuram Pigments […]
SANITARY (PERIOD) PADS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Sanitary (Period) Pads People have different preferences when it comes to period care but sanitary napkins can be a bit of a minefield for those with sensitive skin because most have several top contact allergens. A common cause of contact dermatitis of the vulva (vulvitis) or buttocks is fragrance — especially because of the […]
