MARBLE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Marble Touching the marble on your countertop or walking around on marble floors is unlikely to cause an allergic skin reaction. While green marble may have slightly more cobalt or nickel, these would normally still be trace amounts and as long as the marble is finished, polished, and set, the risk of […]
GADGET SCREEN: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Gadget Screen Some of the materials that go into typical gadget screens might be top contact allergens (such as nickel in metal casings) but glass is not a common skin allergen. It is even less of a concern with laptop screens and monitors because they’re not frequently touched. If you’re using a […]
PLAYGROUND: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Playground Playgrounds are important … and fun! But if you or your child have allergic contact dermatitis, there are some top skin allergens to look out for: Other items that could be causing skin problems for you or your child could be brightly colored or stretchy clothing, helmets, rubber or foam in safety gear, […]
IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Imidazolidinyl Urea Studies show that reactions to formaldehyde-releasing preservatives like imidazolidinyl urea are on the decline and it is currently ranked low in published lists of contact allergens. It is, however, along with diazolidinyl urea (DALU), one of the most widely used antimicrobial preservatives in the world and it is still considered a top […]
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 […]
Living with Psoriasis: Daily Habits That Make a Difference
When you’re newly diagnosed with psoriasis, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by medical jargon, treatment options, and the unpredictability of flare ups. However, beyond the prescriptions and dermatology visits, there’s another layer to managing your psoriasis — and it’s one that you control. Your Daily Habits! What might seem like small choices in your everyday […]
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 […]