Allergy Relief Expert

Is your hair dye causing your heart to flutter?

Trying to “wash that gray out of her hair” was almost a deadly mistake for one 59-year-old woman from California.

She had been dyeing her hair for a number of years with no problem until one day after applying the solution to her hair, her eyes began to swell, she became itchy and hoarse and began having heart palpitations.

She decided to switch to another brand of hair dye and buy an antihistamine just in case she had a reaction.

As it turned out, she did have another allergic reaction, but the antihistamine did the trick and she recovered quickly.

She decided to try her old hair color one more time, and this time it really did her in. Her vision became blurred, her face and hands swelled, and she got dizzy and shaky. She couldn’t breathe and fainted.

Paramedics arrived and, with an injection of adrenaline, saved her life. She had a rare, yet severe, allergic reaction to a chemical in the hair dye.

An allergic reaction usually occurs after the first or second exposure to an allergen (the agent or substance causing the allergic reaction). However, allergic reactions may not occur until after years of exposure.

So, don’t dismiss any unusual symptoms you might experience just because you have used a product for several months or years.

And don’t be fooled into thinking you’re safe just because you have used a product before.

The most common allergic ingredient in hair dyes is a synthetic organic compound called p-phenylenediamine. It is found in most permanent hair colorings.

If you are worried about having an allergic reaction, but would still like to color your hair, use these precautions: do a patch test every time you use permanent coloring, wear gloves to protect your hands, avoid rubbing the dye into your scalp, and wash off any dye that touches your skin.

You can also try to avoid p-phenylenediamine. Most semi-permanent hair colors, including “cellophanes,” do not contain this substance. Be sure to check the label for contents.

Related Post: Antiperspirant Allergies.

Medical Source: In Health (5,2:28)

How To Use Natural Hair Dye

Allergies and asthma don’t always go hand in hand, but most people who have asthma also have allergies. Those allergies can trigger breath-stealing asthma attacks.

Things like pollen, mold, and animal dander can set off an allergic reaction in some people that results in hives, itching, sneezing, and wheezing. When this reaction occurs in the chest, it’s called asthma. In the lungs, allergic reactions cause spasms and thick, sticky mucus. When an asthmatic has an attack, his lungs feel clogged and twitchy, and his chest feels tight.

Though not all people with asthma have allergies, those who do should identify their allergic triggers and avoid them.

Some of the more common asthma triggers to avoid:

• Foods like chocolate, nuts, shellfish, and eggs.
• Beverages like orange juice, beer, wine, and milk.
• Mold spores and pollen. When pollen counts are high, try to stay indoors as much as possible.
• Dander from pets such as cats, dogs, hamsters, and rabbits. If you can’t bear to part with your family pet, try to keep it outside and bathe it often.
• Feather pillows, down comforters, and wool clothing. Use smooth blankets on your bed.
• Dust. Damp dust and damp mop instead of using brooms that raise dust. Use washable fabrics for curtains and rugs.
• Cleaning products like bleach and furniture polish.

Avoiding your triggers may help you avoid the chest-squeezing experience of an asthma attack.

Source: Allergy and Asthma, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Milwaukee (1995)

Asthma Triggers

As the temperature and humidity increase, so does the incidence of allergies in dogs and cats. Allergies your pet may be the result of several factors, such as flea bites, mites, atopy (inhaled allergies), skin infections, skin fold in diseases and food allergies. If your pet shows any of the following signs, which may be suffering from allergies to pets.

* Skin rashes
* Dig in your ears
* Chewing feet
* Excessive grooming and licking
* Rub your face against the furniture or floor

Prevention fleas and other insects Bites

Flea bites are the cause more common and often itchy skin on pets. However, if the pet is regularly exposed to the outside, many insect bites can help and itching. Some of these insects are:

* Fleas
* Flies
* Mosquitoes
* Spiders
* Ticks
* Other insect bites

Cats that have flea itch more in the head. Dogs tend to bite more near its tail. The best way to prevent fleas from biting your pet is to apply a topical medicine for the prevention of fleas on a monthly basis. This is very important in protecting your pet and your home from infestation by fleas.

The mites can also cause a lot of irritation for your pets. They can cause skin diseases such as ear infestations, scabies, scabies and dandruff. The facilities of the mites are contagious and common in shelters and toilets. The treatment involves using a drug that kills mites and also is used as a de-wormed.

Prevention of Skin Diseases and infections

Dog breeds such as pugs and Sharpeis have much excess skin that is folds and wrinkles creates large. This creates a warm, damp skin-fold diseases to develop and spread. Using baby wipes and wipes Wet acne control can help prevent infections in these areas. If the problem is severe enough, surgical procedures can be a option to discuss with your veterinarian.

Skin and ear infections can be caused by an excessive amount of bacteria and yeasts on the skin. In these cases, the primary skin disease should be treated with the secondary infections that result.

Pet Atopy and food allergies

Atopy is caused by inhaled allergies. Pets who suffer from this allergy often bite everywhere and have patches of missing hair on their bodies. Cats with this type of allergy usually develop skin rashes and scabs on the neck and head. This is often a seasonal allergy symptoms are much worse in the warmer months. Your veterinarian can testing your pet’s skin to diagnose and determine treatment for these allergies.

Pets with atopy often have food allergies, too. In some cases, symptoms are the same so it is important to have your pet tested to determine exactly what is happening. One important difference is that pets with food allergies often have gastrointestinal problems. Furthermore, not your itchy skin is seasonal. The treatment for food allergies is to put your animals on a strict hypoallergenic diet.

Treatments for pet allergies often require antibiotics and antifungal medications that are either orally or placed directly into the affected area. Sometimes changes are required in the diet. There are natural products available to repel insects and relieve itchy skin. There are also natural foods and dietary supplements you can feed your pet in order to prevent health problems and skin become their animal issues household grows. Talk to your veterinarian about preventive measures you can take to protect your pets of many types of allergies and health problems that may be susceptible.

Related Posts: Pet Allergy, Dog Allergies, Feline Allergy and Dander Allergy.

About the Author: Donna Spector is a board-certified veterinary internist who has practiced at the Animal Medical Center in New York and the Univ. of California. Dr Spector also writes for www.halopets.com.

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Canine & Feline Diseases : Home Remedies for Dog Allergies

A winter allergy is rarely seen as most allergies are seen during the spring and fall months as the seasons change and mold counts are at their highest. However, a winter can be common in the indoor environment according to certain factors which may be occurring in the home.

Indoor Air Pollutants!

Indoor air pollution which can actually become worse during the summer months can be tied to the occurrence of winter allergies. It is more prevalent in parts of the US and other parts of the world which get the full range of hot summer weather and moderate winter weather.

Air Conditioning Mold

The reason for this is that during the summer months as households use air conditioning (AC), mold can grow and colonize in the AC coil box. If the mold remains wet and doesn’t grow too large, it normally will not cause allergic reaction to household members during the summer. However, as the heat is used as the weather turns cold, this mold will tend to dry over weeks and the dead spores can actually break loose and circulate throughout the home. The human body does not know the difference between a dead or live mold spore and can have an allergic reaction to either.

Winter Allergy Strategies

Here are a few tips you can use to minimize allergy reactions during the winter months:

• Have your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) unit properly cleaned at the end of the cooling season to remove organic matter and mold spores from the surfaces.
• Use a HEPA (High Efficient Particle Air) vacuum cleaner and air purifier units which are 99.99% effective at removing mold spores and other dust particles from the indoor environment.
• Keep your sinuses rinsed with a sinus rinse product which will minimize sinus allergies, especially during the winter months.

About the author:
Stan K. Hall (Sick House Doctor) is a recognized specialist in Indoor Air Pollution as well as Health & Safety in the home. He has performed over 400 indoor environmental evaluations over the past 26 years and has helped hundreds of homeowners make their homes a haven. He is widely known as the originator of T.E.A.M., the scientifically proven approach to controlling and resolving indoor air pollution.

Saline Sinus Rinse/Flush