CEMENT (Not Dried): Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Cement, Concrete Occupational contact dermatitis is common among construction workers, especially those who handle wet cement due to the presence of both top contact allergens such as potassium dichromate and corrosive irritants like lime. In fact, contact with cement is the most common cause of contact dermatitis in construction workers. Construction workers sensitive to […]
BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWER (Blue Tea): Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Butterfly Pea Flower Clitoria Ternatea, more commonly called butterfly pea flower, blue tea or blue ternate, is from the Fabaceae family and has gotten lots of attention recently for its beautiful hue and antioxidant properties. Rare for a plant or flower, it is not published as a top contact allergen and is […]
CASTOR OIL (PEG-40): Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen PEG-40 Castor Oil PEG-40 Castor Oil is what is usually used in cosmetics. It is not on published lists of top contact allergens and is not a standard inclusion in patch test trays. That said, there are some things that are good to know and to consider with your contact dermatitis specialist. […]
STEARIC ACID: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Stearic Acid It’s not in standard patch test trays, not in published lists of contact allergens, and case reports of allergic reactions to stearic acid are few and far between. This is impressive considering how popular it is as a cosmetic ingredient (a rule of thumb: the more commonly used an ingredient […]
BEEF, MEAT: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen … but can cause allergic reactions Beef Beef and other proteins are not standard inclusions in patch test trays or published lists of top contact allergens but reactions when handling meat and other proteins, for those sensitive to them, can occur. The risk can be higher for those whose work requires them […]
BRUNO (We should talk about): Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Bruno Madrigal A lot of people feared Bruno because he was different and his powers were not well understood. He himself isn’t an allergen but his exclusion and exile exposed him to more than a few top contact allergens (poor Bruno on many levels). Living behind the walls means lots and lots […]
ALUMINUM: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen … sort of Aluminum This is a somewhat controversial call. The American Contact Dermatitis Society named Aluminum as its Contact Allergen of the Year for 2022 — not because of a high number of contact allergies reported in patch tests (while there are reported cases, contact reactions still tend to be notably rare, […]
BENZOYL PEROXIDE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Benzoyl Peroxide This popular anti-acne medication is not on published lists of top contact allergens and there are relatively few case reports of allergic contact dermatitis to it. Benzoyl peroxide can be an irritant, however (why so many people find products containing it drying). Update: Benzoic acid is a derivative of benzoyl […]
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 […]