patch testing
You know I was looking over my medical file yesterday and noticed that I did
react to Nickel as well as other chemicals. I had forgotten that, but it’s
something I avoid anyway (well as in fake jewelry). I just had no idea it could
be in foods!? Some other things I reacted to when patch tested were, cobalt
and components in latex (thiuram mix), interesting as I tested both positive
and negative in blood tests for latex. I usually say I am allergic to be safe.
In a former post I mentioned the allergy to isothiazolinone (also called
methylisothiazolinone). And yet another allergy is quaternium which the
paperwork specifically says contact with this may result in dermatitis. Even
another
I reacted to was Phenylenediamine (common in hair dye).
Anyway there are so many synonyms to these chemicals it would be hard for me
to look out for them all, I would be reading labels all day and night! Not
to mention there is no way I can remember all the synonyms to look out for.
But I do avoid common things associated with these and look out for
methylisothiazolinone which I found it in many hair products.
It’s no wonder my food elimination diet didn’t work! So if anyone suspects
chemicals, I would highly suggest trying a patch test. I didn’t last with it
on my back the first time I tried, and originally I didn’t have a clear enough
spot of skin when they first wanted to do it! But am glad I suffered through
it the last time I did the patch testing.
I have been flaring up since I moved, mostly on my hands but also around the
spots I was wearing an ace bandage…(elastic) and now it triggered the area
around my underwear elastic for some reason even though I usually wear elastic
covered in fabric. It has also been cold which I always had flare ups when I
lived in NY when it got cold. Well I made the decison to leave Florida…but
then I also flared in the extreme heat. (I am also stressed lately…)
Thanks.
Sue (now a GA resident!)
I’ve got it on my hands as well. It started with an outbreak once in
July, which went away. Then recurrant patches on my fingers since
September. Recently, I found 2 things I sometimes eat which make it a
lot worse, chocolate and cashews (probably any nuts would do the same).
I’m taking Fish oil, flax seed oil and coconut oil everyday. The
coconut oil in particular seems to be helpful short term in reducing
itchyness — Both eating the oil and applying it directly to the skin.
The rest of the oils at least have improved my overall dry skin on my
face and body. I think I was severly deficient in EFAs because of
the "low fat" diet I was trying to follow before. ( Bad idea, that.)
Some people have found that GLA containing oils to help, I tried borage
oil and it didn’t help me, in fact, I think it made things worse. If I
get up the courage to do so, sometime I’ll try it once more to see if
it really was the oil rather than something else I ate.
Sue