Allergy Patch Tests

In February of this past year, I saw a dermatologist for allergy patch testing. I had been experiencing bouts of contact dermatitis on my neck and chest. The patches started as just small areas of red discoloration located on the sides of my neck. Over the course of a couple of weeks, they became very itchy and spread to cover the entire front of my neck and onto my chest.

I had patch tests for contact allergies when I was in my teens, and they indicated that I was allergic to some compounds in detergents, so I had already cut out scented laundry detergents and was using a sensitive skin "hypoallergenic" brand. In attempts to determine what was causing the recent bout of contact dermatitis, I attempted an elimination diet of sorts. I cut out all cosmetics and lotions. I switched to Dove soap, but continued using the same shampoo for lack of other ideas. The elimination routine didn't clear up the contact dermatitis, but my doctor prescribed Elidel for topical treatment and gave me a referral to see the specialist. The Elidel cleared the dermatitis up nearly immediately!

The patch testing occurred about 4 months later. I was tested for the general panel of contact allergens, consisting of 59 different compounds. The patches were applied to my back and left in place for 48 hours, after which time the patches were removed and the level of reaction was scored at home. An additional 48 hours later, I met with the dermatologist again, the patches were re-scored, and the results were discussed.

Out of 59 compounds, I tested positive for allergic reaction to 16 compounds. These include:
4-Phenylenediamine
Amerchol
Potassium dichromate
Nickel sulfate hexahydrate
Paraben mix
Methldibromoglutaronitrile
Frangrance mix I
Bronopol
Sesquiterpene lactone mix
Frangrance mix II
Disperse blue 106/124
Cobalt chloride hexahydrate
Compositae mix
Cetylstearyl alcohol
Formaldehyde
Hydromethyl pentyl cychexene carboxaldehyde

The underlying theme is that most of these compounds are commonly found in lotions, creams, soaps, shampoos, hair products, cosmetics, detergents, dyes, and fragrances.

As a result of these test outcomes, I made some pretty serious changes to my normal daily routine. The main part of my routine that has changed is that I now read ALL labels! Turns out that nearly every daily skin/hair care product that I was using contained at least one, of not more, of the compounds that I tested allergic to. I found a local retailer of "natural" items and was able to find new products to take the place of many of my previous products. Check out my "List of What I Use" (coming soon!)  for full details. By eliminating all of my triggers, I have been able to remain contact dermatitis free for nearly a year now!

Though I have found soap, lotion, shampoo, and hair gel that works with my set of allergens, many other safe products are difficult to come by. There are some suppliers of cosmetics that do not contain my allergens, but I have yet to find cosmetic products that really work for me. As such, I rarely ever use make-up any more. I was pleasantly surprised to see that after a number of weeks of not wearing any cosmetics, my general skin condition has improved vastly! My skin appears naturally clear and supple. It does not feel dry at all, and I do not feel the need to use lotion daily. This includes during harsh Canadian winters, when extreme cold temperatures and artificial heating can wreak havoc on skin. My adult acne, while still present, has improved dramatically also, since eliminating make-up from my daily routine.