STEVIA: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

AllergenNotAllergen 2022 Stevia 20220319

Not An Allergen … yet Stevia Anecdotal reports of reactions to stevia — contact or IgE-mediated — are so rare that it is not normally included in standard patch test trays. Being a flowering plant from the Asteraceae (compositae) family, however, it would not be surprising for this increasingly popular sweetener to become a top […]

PLUSH TOY (Stuffed Animal): Allergen or Not An Allergen?

AllergenNotAllergen 2022 PlushToy 20220319

Allergen Plush Toy (Stuffed Animal) “Teddy” may be your little one’s cuddliest pal but many plush toys are contact allergen-heavy. Topping the list are strong dyes, especially in toys with bright colors like this woeful turtle’s green, the purple of a certain singing dinosaur, and the bright red fur of a very popular muppet. Less […]

PPD (Paraphenylenediamine): Allergen or Not An Allergen?

AllergenNotAllergen 2022 PPD 20220319

Allergen PPD (Paraphenylenediamine) American Contact Dermatitis Society‘s Allergen of the Year in 2006, PPD or paraphenylenediamine is no joke, especially in hair dye, where it’s most known for causing trouble. This is not surprising considering how severe some reactions can be and how hard it is to find an alternative. PPD may be “just one ingredient” but […]

FACIAL CLEANSING BRUSHES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

AllergenNotAllergen 2022 FacialCleaningBrushes 20220319

Allergen … irritant & acnegen, too Facial Cleansing Brushes Popular for their surface exfoliation and deeper clean, facial cleansing brushes are not without risks to the skin. The gadgets themselves would not appear in published lists of top contact allergens but many of their materials would. Silicone bristles could be ok unless they’re rubberized silicone […]

DUST MITES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

AllergenNotAllergen 2022 DustMites 20220319

Allergen Dust Mites It’s not the bite of this arachnid that’s the main issue but its waste — more specifically, the membrane that surrounds the mite’s fecal pellets. The chitin in its hard exoskeleton is also an aeroallergen (airborne allergen). We come into contact with it when immature mites shed their exoskeletons. This means that […]

THIMEROSAL: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

AllergenNotAllergen 2022 Thimerosal 20220319

Allergen Thimerosal Merthiolate, thiomersalatem, sodium ethylmercury salicylate — thimerosal. This organic mercury is a top contact allergen and had a long history of safety and efficacy as a preservative. But, due to concerns about exposure to mercury-containing ingredients, it is now less commonly found. Thimerosal used to be a staple antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal as […]

COMPOSITAE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

AllergenNotAllergen 2022 Compositae 20220319

Allergen Compositae Compositae mix is a common contact allergen that’s a regular feature in patch test trays. The Compositae or Asteraceae group (Aster is “star” in Greek and refers to the shape of the flowers) includes daisies, sunflowers, feverfew (chrysanthemum), and asters, plus chamomile, arnica, and over 20,000 other herbs, vegetables, and plants. Of particular concern […]

EYEGLASSES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

Eyeglasses can have lots of skin allergens

Allergen Eyeglasses Rubber in nose pads and nickel and gold elements in metal frames tend to be the biggest culprits in eyeglasses but some plastic ones can also have dyes (avoid dark colors and vibrant hues) and benzophenones. Wooden frames could be options but try to look for ones without paint or varnish and other […]

BEES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?

AllergenNotAllergen 2022 Bee 20220319

Allergen … but perhaps not what you think Bees The glorious, vital, pollinating insect itself is not a top contact allergen. A bee sting is painful. For those with an IgE-mediated allergy to bee stings, they can be life threatening. But even an allergy to bee stings (Type 1 reaction) is not a contact skinallergy […]

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