Allergy Relief Expert

Skin rashes are a common skin discomfort which causes small red spots, redness and itching. It can happen anywhere on your skin – your face, hands or legs.

Using personal care products such as skin cleanser, toner, scrub, mask, moisturizer or skin may cause an allergic reaction.  No matter if you’re using chemical based or natural herbal product, if your skin cannot cope or accept a particular ingredient, your skin may break out. Some people may be allergic to essential oils, including the most expensive and brand-care products.

Switching products for skin care (different brands) too often in a short period of time say within a month or two, can also cause irritation and sometimes rash on the face. Case in point; Roberta tries many different skin care products and had severe skin eruptions as a result. Just before her skin could adjust to the current brand, she decided to try new ones. Finally, the skin could not take it and started showing signs of eruptions.

When trying new products, try to do a skin test and wait a day or so. Switch to a brand new one only when necessary because of changes in the skin, most importantly after 6-8 months of using the same skin care brand. Do not be tempted to try new products for care skin after viewing TV ads. If you want to, get some samples and try it in the neck or hands.

Old makeup products, as foundation, concealer, lipstick, rouge, eyeliner, mascara or eye shadow can cause skin rashes. Beware of make up tools like brushes dirty dirty comb. Try not to keep your brand more than 6 months in hot and humid area, and the area of dry cold weather, keep it up to about a year after the expiration deadline, but no more.

To allow your make up to last longer, keep the product clean and fresh at all times. Clean the sides and corners bottles, tubes or containers after use each time to avoid any contamination.

Do not allow certain products chemicals such as laundry detergent, dish washing liquid or other cleaning chemicals to smear on the facial skin. Some of these substances can be too strong for facial skin resulting in skin eruptions. Hair shampoo can also cause skin problems. When washing your hair, please make sure that shampoo for hair does not flow through the area of the face. Chemicals for construction can be detrimental to your facial skin too – cement, paint, shellac thinner. Avoid placing your face close to these chemicals.

Always keep your hands clean before touching your face. The bacteria on the hands can cause acne and even skin irritation. Keep your pillows, mattress and bed clean, otherwise the mites may end up disturbing the upper layer of the skin and cause rashes on the face and entire body. Face and bath towel should be kept clean at all times to prevent skin problems too.

Related Posts: Makeup Allergy Test, Perfume Allergies, Antiperspirant Allergies and Fragrance Allergies.

About the Author: Juliet Cohen writes articles for the Beauty Makeup Blog.

Makeup Tips for Skin Allergies

Perfumes are used everyday by millions of people in thousands of countries around the world and is one of the broadest selling products. However, there are many people who can have serious allergic reactions to the fragrances used in them. More time than not, people who are sensitive to fragrances have been diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS).

Symptoms of a perfume allergy include difficultly breathing, skin rashes and has been known to cause asthma in people who are not necessarily an chronic asthma sufferer. Toddlers and young children are even more vulnerable to chemicals, as are people who are recovering from cancer and other illnesses.

Fragrances are actually chemicals and can be found in perfume and cologne which like other chemicals, may cause allergic reactions to those who have a sensitivity to them. A alcohol-based chemical is normally used as a base of the perfume. There are over 2500 fragrances used in perfume with about 105 are believed to cause an allergic reaction in humans. About 25 of these fragrances are used frequently and 12-15 are used very frequently in the more common and cheaper brands of perfume. In addition to perfume, chemical fragrances are also present in most laundry detergents, fabric softeners, anti-cling products, dish-washing liquids, disinfectants, soaps, shampoos, deodorants, cosmetics, aftershaves, incense and analgesic creams. Even products which are marked as “unscented”  may actually contain toxic fragrances.

Related Posts: Fragrance Allergies, Perfume Allergies, Makeup Allergy Test and Makeup Allergy.

About the author:

Angelica Alexander is a sales representative for a national perfume and cologne distributor in New York.

Picking Perfume : Testing Perfume Skin Allergies

DIY Makeup Allergy Test

There are many skin symptoms attributed to other causes which are actually allergic responses to chemicals found in everyday products. If you often have rashes or other skin problems, they may be an allergic response to cosmetics, soaps or even laundry detergents.

Here’s how to identify the source of the problem without the expense of seeing a doctor. Use an unexposed area of your skin like your back (you will need assistance) or your arm (cover with a soft, long sleeved shirt). Make sure your skin is clean and dry.

Apply a small amount of the suspected allergy-causing substance to your skin and cover with a square of surgical gauze, followed by a bandage or surgical adhesive.

If the test substance is dry such as face powder or solid makeup, put a tiny amount of it in some mineral oil and apply that to your skin. Keep the test patch on your skin for 24 to 48 hours and watch for an allergic reaction to develop.

Once you find out what substance or substances are setting off your allergic response, you’ll know what to avoid.

Related Post: Makeup Allergy

Source: Allergy Secrets and You Newsletter

Makeup Tips for Skin Allergies

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

Antiperspirant allergies are rare but is a allergic reaction mostly experienced by women, especially those with acanthosis nigracans, a skin disorder. Acanthosis nigricans can begin at any age and generally causes light brown velvety-like markings on the neck, under the arms or in the groin area. It is still unknown why it is seen more in women who are overweight.

Causes of Acanthosis Nigricans

• Addison disease (deficiency of hormones from the adrenal gland)
• Disorders of the pituitary gland within the brain
• Growth hormone therapy
• Hypothyroidism (low levels of thyroid hormone in the thyroid gland)
• Taking cholesterol medications (including nicotinic acid)
• Taking oral contraceptives
• Using certain skin care products such as antiperspirants

Diagnosing Acanthosis Nigricans

The condition may only be diagnosed by a health professional with a thorough a physical examination and medical history exam.  Blood work is also helpful in investigating the primary cause of acanthosis nigricans.

Treating Acanthosis Nigricans

Treating acanthosis nigracans is usually achieved though weight loss and exercise.  Increased insulin by a poor diet has also been connected to acanthosis nigracans so eating a healthy diet can lead to improvement and has been reported to cure the disorder completely.

There are topical treatments such as Retin-A, urea, alpha hydroxy acids and salicylic acid prescriptions.  Dermabrasion has also been used to reduce the raised portion of the affected skin. Certain oral medications have also been reported to make acanthosis nigracans worse and should be discussed with your doctor.

Related Post: Makeup Allergy and Hair Dye Allergy.

About the author: Rebecca A. Barlow is a professional cosmetologist consultant working at a well known New York City retailer.

Makeup Tips for Skin Allergies

Toothpaste or other allergic reaction?

Toothpaste allergies are rare and should probably be on the short list of potential allergens. However, allergy doctors have reported that some patients do have allergic reactions to toothpaste ingredients.

Toothpaste Ingredients

Ingredients found in toothpaste have a low allergic sensitivity rate which contributes to the rarity of this type of allergy. Toothpaste ingredients have changed dramatically over the past 20 years as manufacturers refine their formulas to make them safer and more effective.

However, the primary toothpaste ingredient known to cause some allergic problems are oil of peppermint. Peppermint reactions are generally mild and resolve themselves by switching to a different flavor or brand of toothpaste. For example, Contact Dermatitis reported in 1998 that a person who developed severe chapped lips (cheilitis) was a result of a contact allergy to spearmint oil that was traced to toothpaste.

A 2004 issue of the journal Dermatology contained a case report of a suspected allergy to fluoride containing toothpaste. The report concluded that fluoridated toothpaste may cause  recurrent aphthous stomatitis, a condition more commonly known as “canker sores” in some people. Other ingredients found in toothpaste can cause allergic reactions, such as cinnamic aldehyde, papain and balsam of peru.

Read toothpaste labels carefully and check with your pharmacist if you have any questions before buying.  It is also wise to avoid special formulations for ‘tartar-control’ or ‘tooth-whitening’ and stick with good ole toothpaste known to do the job. There are however, many toothpaste products which are sold as hypoallergenic by companies which are known to have safe products. I recommend buying the smallest tube possible and making sure you do not have an allergic response before continuing with a larger size.

If you experience an allergic reaction immediately following brushing of your teeth such as swelling, redness, dryness, or infection in your mouth, contact your dentist immediately.

About the author:

Ann Barlow is a dental hygienist in Clearwater Florida and writes for industry related newsletters.

Dental hygienist allergic to toothpaste

Many consumers do not realize the hidden dangers that lurk in the fragrance of the product. This is because, in the U.S. as in many other countries, manufacturers have not that labels specify exactly what ingredients the product contains a fragrance. With many “fragrances” which now includes hundreds of complex mixtures ingredients, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not require safety testing of cosmetic products, this makes the exact composition of the fragrance from “” a black box for many different chemicals.In not tested the worst case, some of the chemical cocktail contained in product labels simply like the fragrance of “” have been linked to allergies, skin reactions, hormonal disorders, birth defects and the problem still is not confined cancer.This a few products, with about 95% of 3,000 fragrance ingredients used different now consist of low-cost synthetic compounds derived from petroleum.Phthalates, Phthalate esters are a higher risk of fragrance mixtures. This is a group of chemical compounds that are mainly added to plastics to increase flexibility. Insurance phthalates are also used in the manufacture of nail polish, paint, adhesives and fragrances. In 2004, a joint Swedish-Danish research team found a strong link between allergies in children and phthalates, this study was later published in The Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives. Subsequent studies Phthalates have also been associated with birth defects, toxicity and damage to reproductive adult liver, adrenal, and kidney organs. Although some manufacturers have removed these chemicals from their products, a recent study by the Environmental Working Group found phthalates in nearly three-quarters of the 72 products by the brand-name tested.Artificial musks can also cause unwanted side effects. These chemicals are still popular, however, since the price of natural musk, which is derived mainly from a gland in the male musk deer, has become prohibitive. Of the three major types of synthetic musk (nitromusk, macrocyclic musks and musk), nitromusk is particularly dangerous since it has been linked to reproductive and fertility problems in women at high exposure levels. Because of this, the EU has banned the use of some nitromusks in cosmetics and personal care products, but in the United States, chemicals musk remain unregulated, and safe levels of exposure have not been established. Many synthetic fragrance components are considered allergens and both may cause asthma and trigger asthma attacks. But when the Working Group on the Environment conducted a survey in 2005 of U.S. industry reviews of cosmetic ingredients, are found that about one third of all ingredients, allergens and sensitizing of the determinations were made inadequately.In contrast, fragrance ingredients natural, such as essential oils are derived entirely from plants. When properly prepared, have not been associated with significant side effects. However, natural ingredients tend to be more expensive than synthetic chemicals, resulting in the care of minor skin manufacturers use.

About the Author:

Paul Penders is the founder of Paul Penders organic skin and hair care, a unique line of organic, cold-blended products incorporating ingredients from the oldest rainforest in the world: http://www.paulpenders.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Difference Between Artificial and Natural Fragrances

Fragrance Allergy -Created by Group 4 Diversity Day 2008 BHS