Allergy Relief Expert

If your clothes bother your skin or cause skin rashes, you may suffer from detergent allergies. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, contact dermatitis (a skin rash) is an inflammation of the skin caused by direct contact with an irritating or allergy-causing substance. This type an allergic reaction may cause a rash that can linger up to 48 hours after exposure.

Certain detergent products are labeled as soap making label reading paramount to preventing allergic exposures. As a general rule, the more added ingredients, the more potential allergens.

Detergent Allergy Strategies

• Visit an allergist. They can help you determine what substances or chemicals you may be allergic to. Keep a journal of your allergic reactions prior to visiting the doctor to help them identify possible culprits. If the source of your allergies cannot be easily identified, your doctor may recommend skin-patch testing.
• Consider using corticosteroid skin creams which are known to reduce skin inflammation.
• Seek out dye- and perfume-free detergents and fabric softeners. Consider clear types since color and scents are chemicals known to cause allergic reactions.
• Get a second recommendation if your doctor cannot help you improve your skin irritations within two weeks. An allergy doctor may prescribe oral steroids as a short-term treatment for severe cases.
• Use the extra-rinse cycle to fully wash out any detergents use.
• If your water is soft or normal, then don’t use fabric softener.
• Purchase allergy-free detergents which are 100% free of petroleum-based or other hazardous ingredients, fragrances, phosphates, animal by-products, dyes and other common triggers for allergies.

Fresh Clean Clothes & No Detergent – LaundryPure

If you are allergic to chlorine then you suffer from allergies Type 4 also called cell-mediated allergy or delayed.  The most common symptom is an itchy rash in the armpits and groin area. While bromine is a milder for of chlorine, it is still responsible for skin allergy symptoms in hot tub and spa users.

Scientists consider chlorine one of the most toxic elements found in nature and yet the number of people allergic to chlorine is extremely small. Eye irritation, dry skin, coughing, sneezing, runny nose or itchy nose may be symptoms of an intolerance to chlorine instead of a real allergy.

Some groups use bromine instead of chlorine. Bromine is used in most hot tubs because it can withstand heat better than chlorine. More people may develop an allergic reaction to bromine than chlorine, but still considered very rare.

In chlorine treated pools the chlorine reacts with other substances. Chemicals, such as the fans in the land, which creates chloramines compounds. Always shower before swimming in a chlorinated pool to stop this chemical reaction occurs in the pores of the skin you.

The small white spots that may develop on the skin after bathing is not an allergic reaction to chlorine. White spots are caused by a type of yeast infections and needs to be treated with a topical medication. Always shower after swimming and use a shampoo anti anti chlorine soap and chlorine.

Many people develop stuffy nose after swimming in a public pool or hit tub. This is commonly called swimmer’s sinusitis is caused by getting water on your breasts. The best treatment for swimmer’s sinusitis is to drink plenty of water to keep the mucus thin and allow the sinusitis to drain properly. Some people find that using a nasal spray after swimming will also relive some of the symptoms. If the problem persists, see a health professional because persistent sinus infection could lead to a more serious problem.

Another treatment for swimmer’s sinusitis is to use eucalyptus oil in boiling water or Olbas and inhale the steam that is generated. This treatment is very good for any type of stuffy nose due to a cold, flu or allergy problems. Both readily diffuse in the air and can provide benefits to nasal and bronchial areas.

If you are allergic to chlorine and then find a good health care professional before beginning any type of home treatment.

Always consult your physician before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and should not be construed as medical advice.

Related Post: Chlorine Allergy.

About the Author: David Cowley has created numerous articles on allergies. www.allergies-team.com

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Chlorine/Salt/Bromine FREE swimming pool/spa water

Formaldehyde is the chemical that has received much press in recent years and is referred to as being responsible for the term ‘mobile home syndrome’.  It is widely used in a multitude of consumer products such as household cleaners, laundry detergents, glues, adhesives, shampoos and soaps.  It is also a good preservative and makes an excellent adhesive and is widely used in the carpet and furnishings industries. It is even commonly used in the auto industry and is believed to be in certain foam and adhesive products.

Formaldehyde Sensitivities

Most people are sensitive to formaldehyde and many of those can have an allergic reaction when they are exposed to it.  Formaldehyde is like many chemicals, symptoms from exposure will get progressively worse the longer these people are in its presence.

Particle board is the most common product which is known to contain formaldehyde and is in the adhesive which holds the board together. Over time many of these products will break down and dry out, thusly releasing the formaldehyde. Many particleboard and carpeting manufacturers are marketed as ‘reduced formaldehyde’ products and may still have other aldehydes in the product which may still cause adverse reactions.

Dangers of Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is considered to be a suspected carcinogen and has also been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals and. Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing,  fatigue, skin rashes and severe allergic reactions.

Here are a few tips to help you minimize your exposure to formaldehyde:

• Limit the use of particlewood products, such as pressboard and plywood.  Choose 100% wood products instead.
• Insist on formaldehyde-free carpets, not reduced-formaldehyde since new carpets may outgas formaldehyde vapors for years to come.  Note: Carpet outgassing does not work, only time will allow the chemical to fully vaporize from the carpet according to humidity levels.
• Don’t smoke indoors. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) contains formaldehyde thousands of other chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic (cancer causing)
• Wash all permanent press clothes before waering or storing. Remove plastic bags from all dry-cleaned clothes and air them out outdoors, when possible.
• Ventilate; The solution to pollution is dilution!

About the author:

John A. Daniels is a certified home inspector in Cleveland OH.

ALS Linked to Formaldehyde Exposure

If you are really allergic to alcohol then you suffer from allergies Type 1, also called Contact Allergies.  suggests that it is more often than not, the other ingredients that cause allergic reaction such as yeast and sulfur dioxide instead of alcohol itself.

We do not know how people can suffer from allergies to alcohol products because many of the usual symptoms associated with alcohol consumption also associated with an allergic reaction. Reddening of the skin of the face and neck, itchy eyes and nose, hives, loss of motor functions, vomiting, and eczema are the typical reactions of the contents of wine and beer and also symptoms of allergic reactions to alcohol.

Some people in Asia experience descent unusual flushing reaction after ingestion of alcohol. This is believed to be caused by a genetic disorder. The body can not metabolize alcohol correctly. It has been suggested that anyone who experiences a flushing reaction after drinking alcohol may be at risk for esophageal cancer, disease liver, alcohol and related conditions.

Sulfur dioxide is added to wine since Roman times. It inhibits yeast growth, preventing the wine becomes wine vinegar thus giving a longer life. Sulfur dioxide also helps to give the old wine of its many different flavors. There is limits on the quantity of sulfur dioxide winemakers are permitted to add. Wines with more than 25 parts per million of sulfur dioxide should be included in the wine label.

Allergies to yeast found in wine and beer, although rare, can cause an allergic reaction and usually manifests as hives.

Red wine contains more histamine from white wines. Taking antihistamines before drinking wine can help reduce the allergic effects of histamines. Fruit wines contain low levels of histamine in wine grapes.

The egg white is commonly used in the fining process. The imposition of fines is the process where unwanted organisms are eliminated by the addition of egg whites or bentonite. The strong drop of the suspension and removed, creating and a wine course. None of the egg white or bentonite is supposed to remain in the wine after the fining process is completed clearly bentonite egg not listed on the label as part of the components of wine.

If you are not sure what is giving you problems you could try the test food challenge. Avoid all allergy causing foods and beverages for several weeks. Then the doctor will give you a pill of each suspected agents at a time under close supervision. If symptoms appear within two hours after taking the pill, then you are allergic to it and will have to avoid.

Always consult your physician before using this information.

About the Author:

Dr Vincent Crump, of the Allergy Clinic Auckland, UK

Guide to Self Medication

Have you ever had an allergic reaction while reading a newspaper?

Chances are it could be because the newspaper may be only hours old. Ink from a freshly printed newspaper can emit vapors which can cause a host of allergy related symptoms to include watery eyes, sneezing and skin rashes.

There is a quick and easy way to confirm the freshness of a newspaper by wiping a few inches of it with a dry paper towel. If the paper towel is black from the wiping, then it probably is emitting ink vapors. Of course, if you have a keen sense of smell you may try just smelling the paper up close to see if it has a ink odor.

So what can you do about it?

• Try wearing some tight fitting cotton gloves.
• Read the paper outside on the porch, weather permitting.
• Read the paper later in the evening after the ink has longer to dry.

Unfortunately, there are not many options available if you have a sensitivity to newspaper print besides those listed above or reading more news online.

About the author:

Stan K. Hall, the Sick House Syndrome doctor is a recognized specialist in Indoor Air Pollution as well as Health & Safety in the home. He has performed hundreds of indoor environmental evaluations over the past 25 years and has helped a multitude of homeowners make their homes a haven.

Newspaper Allergy