Are you Sensitive to Chlorine?

Do you react after swimming in a chlorinated swimming pool? I get hives every time I go swimming, even when I go to pools which operate mostly on ozone and only use a very small amount of what they call “free chlorine”. I have always wondered if there is anything I can do to reduce the skin reactions I get and worry that it may in fact be affecting my asthma. The American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (ACAAI) has great information on this topic. They mention that if you get hives or a rash after swimming in a chlorinated pool it does not mean that you have a chlorine allergy, however it may mean that you have a chlorine sensitivity or “irritant dermatitis” (like a chemical burn), which is caused by hypersensitivity to this natural irritant. If you get a rash or hives from the pool, have you found anything that helps to reduce the amount of hives you get? For my breathing I do take my inhaler prior to swimming to prevent an asthma flare-up. Have you found certain pools affect the rash, hives or other skin reactions you get from swimming pools? Do you notice a difference with indoor pools versus outdoor pools?

ACAAI Chlorine Allergy

There will be the new writer for this blog.

After writing this Allergy Comfort Zone blog for the last 4 years, I am passing it over to  Erika Ladouceur who promises to keep it active and true to its beginnings. Erika lives in Canada so she might have a little different perspective on allergies.

I want to thank all the readers who follow Allergy Comfort Zone and all the many reader who have left comments. I may occasionally write a blog on one of my favorite subjects; skin allergies, contact dermatitis and eczema.

Thank you, have a healthy and happy holiday and new year.

Dayne Sislen

Would anyone like to take over this allergy blog?

I love writing this blog and hearing from people who are suffering from the same allergies I am. I like to think I have helped a few readers along the way. My life is very busy right now and I am finding I have less and less time to devote to this blog. I must simplify my life to survive. If anyone is seriously interested, let me know. I also own the matching URL allergycomfortzone.com , a Twitter account and Facebook account in the same name. This WordPress account gets about 100 visits a day.  This WordPress account is not monetized but it can be, by using the matching URL. I have not kept up with the Facebook and Twitter accounts lately.

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May is Allergy & Asthma Awareness Month

May is a peak time for people dealing with allergies and asthma and a perfect time to raise awareness about these diseases.

What are allergies?

Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to allergens that usually do not cause a reaction in most people. Some of the symptoms of allergies include sneezing, wheezing, coughing, and itching; some allergies (food or drug) can cause an extreme response (anaphylaxis) that is life-threatening, is a medical emergency, and is the most severe allergic reaction. If you or someone around you is having an anaphylactic reaction, please call 911 right away.

For those with extreme allergies that cause anaphylaxis, I suggest reading about them on this WebMD web site.

What to wear when your clothes make you itch

I have eczema and contact dermatitis and my clothes make me itch. A lot of other things also tend to irritate my skin. Here is a list of some of the things I am sensitive to: red, orange and blue disperse dye, laundry detergents with perfumes or dyes, nylon, polyester, wool, household cleaning products, water repellant, wrinkle free and stain resistance fabric finishes.

It’s very hard for me to wear most clothes, especially dark-colored clothes. My secret, at least in the cooler months, is to wear white or cream 100% silk long underwear under all my clothes. I buy mine from Winter Silk and Terramar silk from Amazon.

The long johns are very thin and really do not make your clothes look bulky. I always wash all new clothes including silk several times in a perfume-free and dye-free detergent and rinse them twice before wearing them.

I recently ran across a company who sells 100% pure medical grade silk  long underwear. Their product sounds pretty impressive, but the items are very expensive, so I have not been able to try them out. The name is Derma Silk they are located in Canada, the link is http://www.dermasilk.ca/

When summer comes I switch over to wearing well washed and rinsed 100% cotton fabrics in white and very pale colors. My favorite combination is a well washed white top with faded khaki bottoms. Some brands of blue jeans are better for my skin than others. The only way to know for sure is to try them. Levis 501 are suppose to use Indigo dye which may rub off on your skin, but should not be as irritating as synthetic dyes. I like to wear well washed Eddie Bauer jeans, they fit me well and do not irritate my skin.

A New Year, Start Fresh

Every year at this time, I clean up all the holiday decorations and start to reorganize and clean. It’s a new year so I want a new beginning. This year I was sick with a virus over the entire holidays. I was very conscious of keeping my home germ free and safe for my family. No one else got sick, so I must have done a good job.

Keeping your house clean so you don’t suffer from Winter allergies is very similar to keeping it free from germs. We can’t see germs and, even though they are much larger we can barely see pollen and dander.

When you are closed up in a house all Winter, dust is the enemy. Dust particles are composed of pollen, pet dander, dust mites, lead dust, pest droppings, chemical contaminates and pesticides. Not exactly what you want to be touching and breathing in all the time.

Dry dusting and sweeping just stirs up dust. Always use a vacuum with low emissions and a HEPA filter. I have a whole house vacuum that vents out into my garage. I love the idea of getting everything completely out of the house. Use a barely damp cloth to dust your furniture.

Use chemical free cleaners made of household products. Four tablespoons baking soda in one quart of water is a good general cleaner. Vinegar and salt mixed together makes a good surface cleaner. Lemon and salt is good for stubborn stains.

Does Grandma know best?

I will not take credit for this advice. I found it in my local newspaper in the Peoples Pharmacy column by Joe and Terry Graedon.  I hope I am giving them enough credit for this advice.

I often write about eczema, contact dermatitis and other skin rashes, this advice from grandmothers may help some people. I find “Old Wives Tales”, “Grandma’s Wit” and “Grandma’s Remedies” to be very helpful. If you think about it, a lot of our “modern” treatments are based on these old remedies (with a lot of added preservatives and added cost).

Here are a few from the Peoples Pharmacy: 

1. For eczema try mixing a non-scented simple lotion like baby lotion with olive oil. Rub on the affected area three times a day. After your shower or bath and two other times. It is supposed to clear up eczema in two weeks.

My experience: I tried using olive oil and lotion several years ago, it did make my dry skin skin feel better, but the greasiness of the oil and the olive oil smell turned me off.

2. Another remedy I haven’t tried yet, but I plan to starting today. Drink Oolong tea. I don’t know how much you need to drink, but it is supposed to help in four weeks. This shouldn’t be too hard for me to do because Oolong tea is my favorite tea.

Hope this helps with your eczema. Visit the Peoples Pharmacy, it is very interesting to read the articles.

Share your Grandma’s Wit with us, maybe it will help someone. Please comment below.

Are You on the Dry Skin Roller Coaster?

As your skin gets dryer, it gets more sensitive because it has less moisture. Less moisture makes the surface of your skin more porous. When you skin is more porous, it lets in more irritants and pollutants which makes your skin drier and more sensitive.

You try to solve this problem with more skin care products and some of these products have irritating ingredients. Therefore your skin gets dryer and more irritated and becomes more porous and lets in more irritants that cause allergies and rashes. The cycle goes on and on.

A few days ago, I tried to go “cold-turkey” and eliminate all moisturizers. I could not believe how rough and dry and cracked my skin was. I was in pain, the itching was terrible!  Just bending my knees and elbows was painful. I gave in and slathered on the moisturizers again.

 Here are a few things I have found that work for extremely dry skin.

1. Limit your baths and showers to 10 minutes. Use barely warm water, hot water dries out your skin even more.
2. Carefully pat yourself dry, you want to leave a little moisture on the surface of your skin.
3. Right away apply a sensitive skin moisturizer or oil. If this soaks in try another layer after waiting a few minutes.

 A few words about moisturizers:

Just because a moisturizer claims it is hypoallergenic doesn’t mean it will be for you. Each of us has different things we are sensitive to.  When a product says it’s “All Natural” it doesn’t mean it will be safe for your skin. I love the smell of lavender in my products and have no problems with them, but a friend of mine is very allergic to lavender.  Even safe sounding ingredients like: Green tea, chamomile, rosemary, mint, sandalwood, aloe vera, etc, can cause problems. I had the worse reaction in my life when I used aloe vera on a rash on my arm. I now stay away from lotions with aloe vera.

Try using food-grade oils like:  Olive oil, grape seed oil, coconut oil, Shay Butter and even Crisco. I have tried Crisco with mixed results (see my earlier blog) , coconut oil and shay butter with better results. Olive oil is great for your skin and hair, but I do not like its strong odor. I like to use shay butter from Africa by itself, without all the irritating stuff. I have also used St. Ives, Naturally Soothing Oatmeal and Shea Butter with fair results. It does have a mild fragrance and some mineral oil though (best not to use if you are extremely sensitive).

Here is a link to a recipe for shay butter moisturizer that you can make. I would suggest leaving out most of the fragrance and coloring and using pure shay butter. Shay butter has a nutty smell, you may or may not like.  If you can tolerate a small amount of essential oil, it might improve the experience.

A few ingredients to avoid:  Added fragrance, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Formaldehyde (that nasty stuff from biology 101), Phthalates, Parabens, Toluene, TEA and DEA, Mineral oil, Thimerasol and Parabens. Avoid products that are said to kill germs. The triclosan also kills the “good” bacteria on your skin that is helpful to maintain the natural skin barrier.

Test all products before using them on your whole body or face. A small area on the inside of your arm is best.

Make a comment below and tell everyone what product you like to use.

I’m having problems trying to eat all organic food

I have been wondering if the pesticides in my foods have anything to do with my skin allergies. I changed my breakfast cereal from GoLean (which contains GM soy) to Natures Path an organic cereal. I have also been trying to eat more organic foods. It’s not easy and it definitely is not cheap.

Organic foods are expensive and I can’t seem to find everything I eat in organic. I am lucky to live in an area with a lot of food sources. We have Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, many Farmers Markets, even my local supermarket has a large organic section. What’s my problem? Eating organic limits my access to my favorite things to eat. When you can’t find one ingredient you need and substitute something non-organic the whole meal becomes non-organic. I guess it’s best to use organic products when you can especially the worst offenders.

I have found some foods are more pesticide laden than others. They are called the dirty dozen. Here is link to a handy shopping guide: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/?tag=2012FoodnewsAd&gclid=CMOH-e2turICFYyPPAodkU8ABA A quick run down of the worst offenders in the food world: Apples, Celery, Sweet Bell Peppers, Peaches, Strawberries, Nectarines, Grapes, Spinach, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Blueberries and Potatoes.

Also I believe we should be concerned about Genetically Modified Foods. Here is a list of GM food to be watch for (GMO are not labeled in the U.S.): Rapeseed oil (Canola Oil), Honey produced form GM crops, Cotton, Rice, Soybean, Sugar Cane, Tomatoes, Corn (Used for animal feed, Oil, Sweeteners and Soft Drinks), and Sweet Corn, Potatoes, Flax Oil, Papaya, Squash, Meat, Peas, Sugar Beets and Dairy Products.

How can the public make informed decisions about genetically modified (GM) foods when there is so little information about its safety?

According to the FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are over 40 plant varieties that have completed all of the federal requirements for commercialization.

Future planned applications of GMOs are diverse and may include drugs in foods, for example, bananas that produce human vaccines against infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B, metabolically engineered fish that mature more quickly, fruit and nut trees that yield years earlier, and plants that produce new plastics with unique properties.

“History has many records of crimes against humanity, which were also justified by dominant commercial interests and governments of the day. Despite protests from citizens, social justice for the common good was eroded in favour of private profits. Today, patenting of life forms and the genetic engineering which it stimulates, is being justified on the grounds that it will benefit society, especially the poor, by providing better and more food and medicine. But in fact, by monopolising the ‘raw’ biological materials, the development of other options is deliberately blocked. Farmers therefore, become totally dependent on the corporations for seeds.” – Professor Wangari Mathai.

Citation: Disabled World News (2009-09-22) – Genetically modified foods information including list of GM foods with dna changes and pros and cons of GM food: http://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/gm-foods.php#ixzz26e66RZHD

Is a food allergy to blame for for chronic skin problems?

If you read this blog regularly you know that I’ve tried eliminating certain foods from my diet to see if any of them were causing an auto-immune response where my skin would be more sensitive to dyes and finishes on clothes and other things in my environment.

Last time I tried eliminating gluten from my diet for 6 weeks. I did not see any difference in my skin. It was very hard for me to eliminate gluten, I found it is in almost everything that is packaged or prepared. I stuck with the diet for the full 6 weeks and didn’t see any change.

I have also tried a dairy-free diet and I didn’t seen a change. This diet was easier for me because I love Almond Milk, and don’t eat much cheese anyway.

Now I am wondering what should be the next food to try to eliminate. Soy is a food that is genetically modified quite often and used in many foods, it could be the culprit. Soy is in a lot of things we eat. I eliminated Go Lean Cereal from my diet several months ago because I found out it had a large percentage of GMO Soy.  I really liked Go Lean Cereal so it was hard to find a substitute. I now eat one of the Natures Path Organic Cereals, They taste great, but they are not as high in protein and a little sweeter than I would like.

Maybe we should all try eating all organic foods for a month. Skin problems could be caused by the pesticides in our food weakening our natural defenses and causing autoimmune problems.  You are lucky if you live in a city that has plenty of stores offering organic foods like I do. The problem is they are very expensive. I know organic is better for us, but hate to raise my food bill so much.

I will ponder this problem and decide what step to take next. I will share the results.

Do you have trouble sleeping at night?

Everyone has an occasional sleepless night, but people who have consistent sleeplessness called insomnia might want to check out their bedrooms for pollutants and toxins that cause irritation, allergy flare-ups, watery eyes, swelling of the throat, respiratory problems, irritation, nervousness, insomnia and more. Formaldehyde is usually the culprit. It may be time to change your sheets!

The toxins could be coming from  your sheets, curtains, carpet, rugs, furniture or more. All permanent-press cotton and polyester/cotton bed sheets and curtains are coated with resins that release the vapors of formaldehyde. Engineered particle board or plywood veneered wood in much furniture and closet systems unless otherwise labeled gives off formaldehyde fumes. Formaldehyde can cause insomnia.

So change your sheets to 100% cotton sheets that are labeled untreated or formaldehyde-free. Sheets labeled organically grown cotton are usually untreated. Wash your new sheets several times in a dye-free and perfume-free detergent. Yes, your sheets will be wrinkled, but you will sleep better at night. I use Nellies All Natural Laundry Soda ( go to the 3rd page of my allergy store), Try this and see if it doesn’t help.

Why are more and more clothes irritating our skin?

  
I’ve been allergic to fabric dyes and textile finishes for the last 12 years. Things seem to be getting worse. I’m not talking about my skin condition, but the clothes that are for sale now have more irritating finishes and colors than ever before. More people are getting a fabric allergy and are allergic to their clothes

It’s very hard to figure out what will irritate your skin when buying new clothes. Price really is no indicator of safety. I have found expensive clothes that make me break out from irritation to the dyes and finishes just as I have problems with less expensive clothes. It’s like I have a new clothes allergy. I do find that natural fibers are safer than synthetic fibers. The dyes used in natural fibers are less irritating to my skin. Watch out for fabrics advertised as wrinkle-free and stain resistant, this “benefit” is created by using chemicals as a fabric finish. Many people are allergic to the finishes on new clothes.

I always wash my new clothes three times using a dye-free and perfume-free detergent before wearing them for the first time. I also set an extra rinse on my washing machine for all loads.

Don’t forget your towels and wash cloths. My husband pointed out that we were still using brick-red and navy blue towels, after I knew for sure I was allergic to red and blue fabric dyes.  I now use natural colored natural fiber towels and have less problems.

Try natural fiber clothes from http://wintersilk.com or  http://cottonique.com, The detergent I use is Nellies All Natural Laundry Soda and dryer balls, see my Allergy Comfort Zone Shop for more products I recommend:  http://allergycomfortzone.com/comfort_store.html

Comment below if you have suggestions or questions.

Kashi Cereal has let us all down

I eat Kashi Go Lean Cereal every day, I love it because it has more protein than all other cereals. I thought it was safe and healthy for me. I figured all the sugar-coated mass marketed cereals had GMOs (genetically modified organism), but Kashi seemed above that. I was wrong, Kashi uses GM Soybeans. Well over 1/2 of all soybeans are GM, so it’s had to find organic or unadulterated soybeans. Even if farmers try to raise non-GM soybeans they can be contaminated by nearby GM fields.

If you want to know more about GMO’s, I have a quoted from  transformyourhealth.com
Just Say No to GMO’s Sowing the Seeds of Deception – Part 1 By Jeffrey M. Smith – Extraordinary Health Article
This site has a lot more information on GM foods and the dangers or eating them, so visit the site for more information.

More about GMO’s

“Perhaps not everyone is familiar with GM foods. For starters, genetic engineering is quite distinct from selective breeding because it involves taking genes from a completely different species and inserting them into the DNA of a plant or animal. The long term effects of this for our health and our planet’s biodiversity are unknown— and that’s cause for concern.

Fortunately, in the past, there have been institutions tracking unhealthy trends. For example, AAEM, an “Academy of Firsts,” was the first U.S. medical organization to describe or acknowledge Gulf War Syndrome, chemical sensitivity, food allergy/addiction, and a host of other medical issues. Unfortunately, the potential for harm from GMOs dwarfs anything they have identified thus far. The harsh reality is that GMOs can impact anyone who eats—in other words: everyone.

Here’s part of what we’re all facing: More than 70% of the foods on supermarket shelves contain derivatives of the eight GM foods on the market—soy, corn, oil from canola and cottonseed, sugar from sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, and a small amount of zucchini and crook neck squash. It doesn’t stop there, though.

The biotech industry hopes to genetically engineer virtually all remaining vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, and even animals.

You will be interested to know that there are two primary reasons why plants are engineered: to allow them to either drink poison or to produce poison. The poison drinkers are called herbicide tolerant. They’re inserted with bacterial genes that allow them to survive otherwise deadly doses of toxic herbicide.

Biotech companies sell the seed and herbicide as a package deal, and U.S. farmers use hundreds of millions of pounds more herbicide because of these types of GM crops. The poison producers are called Bt crops. Inserted genes produce an insect-killing pesticide called Bt-toxin in every cell of the plant. Not surprisingly, both classes of GM crops are linked to dangerous side effects.”

I’m going to search for an alternative to Kashi Go Lean Cereal today. I will let you know what I find that has as much protein. I am so sensitive to everything I eat or touch, maybe GM soybeans are causing my chronic rash.

Please comment below, I would love to hear what you have to say about GMO’s

Allergic Reaction to Tattoo Ink

If you are allergic to the dyes used in your clothes there is also a chance that you may also be allergic to the dyes used in tattoos. With tattoos, if you find you are allergic to the ink, you can not remove the offending article to seek relief, so be very careful.

There is such a variety of ink used in the tattoo business that it is hard to pin point what may or may not cause irritation. Some tattoo ink contains azo dyes which are not toxic in themselves, but breakdown into element s that can be carcinogenic and allergic. Sometimes banned preservatives are used in the inks.

 Some tattoo dyes contain metal content such as aluminum, barium, copper and iron as well as cadmium, manganese and lead in small quantities. Other well known allergens such as chrome, cobalt and nickel are used.

A patient with an allergic reaction to tattoo ink may request tattoo removal using the Q-switched laser, the gold standard for removal of a tattoo, but the Q-switched laser treatment is not suggested for removing tattoos showing signs of allergic reactions because, ironically, in some cases, tattoos not displaying the signs of a allergy may show more signs of hypersensitivity after Q-switched laser treatment. Light from a Q-switched laser can stimulate an allergic response. In this case surgical removal may be the best course of action.

Tattoo artists should perform a patch test for the more commonly reported allergens prior to placing a tattoo on a client with known sensitivity to dyes. So be sure to notify your tattoo artists of any allergies to dyes, metals, preservatives or finishes on clothing before getting a tattoo.

If you already have a tattoo and are having an allergic reaction, start with some over the counter  hydrocortisone creams, anti-itch creams and cold compresses. If the irritation does not clear up in a week or so, you should contact a board certified dermatologist. There are stronger prescription steroids that can help. Follow your doctor’s directions carefully, I have had permanent skin damage from over using prescription strength hydrocortisone creams.

Winter Dry Skin Getting Me Down.

Even though this has been a relatively mild Winter, it has still dried out my skin terribly. When I remove my clothes the insides are covered with skin flakes. My hands and other exposed skin is rough and dry. I use several products on my skin to help with the dryness. The newest product I am testing on my skin is Neosporin’s Eczema Essentials Moisturizing Skin Cream. I’ve been using it for 2 weeks now. It’s suppose to restore visibly healthier skin in three days and relieve dry, itchy skin due to eczema. It goes on smoothly and seem to hold the moisture in the skin better than some other products.

My main problem with the Neosporin Eczema Essentials Daily Moisture Cream is the price. The container is small only holding 6 oz. and costs about $11- $12. I have used the whole 6 oz in two weeks. It works fairly well, but not well enough to spend almost $2 an ounce. See the Amazon price of the Neosporin product  in my Allergy Comfort Zone Comfort Store. If you want a product that is inexpensive and works wonders, try Pure Natural Shay Butter or coconut oil also in my Allergy Comfort Zone Store.

Why are my clothes causing a rash?

Most allergic reaction to clothes can be traced back to chemical additives and coatings. It’s mind boggling how many irritating  chemicals are used in processing textiles: Rubber materials, formaldehyde resins, quarternium-15, disperse dyes, glues, elastic, tanning agents used to process fabrics & leather and metallic fasteners and other chemicals on clothes. The usual areas of concern for irritation from textiles are areas of the body subjected to friction and perspiration. The areas under arms, behind knees, in upper thigh, inside elbows and a rash around waist are usually the worst.

Disperse Blue 106 and 124 are used in the 100% acetate and 100% polyester blue, black, green and violet liners of women’s clothing . It is rare for men to react to the liner in their trousers, as the liner is usually white, grey or beige. The reaction to these disperse dyes can cause a severe acute eczematous reaction in the affected areas and may become chronic. Sometimes, there is sensitivity to flame-retardant materials added to clothing. Allergic contact dermatitis from the flame-retardants Tris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate  and 2,3- dibromocresylglycidyl ether has been reported. Chronic generalized dermatitis that was a reaction to the Basic Red 46 dye in flame-retardant clothing  has been reported. Many flame-retardant clothes are colored using basic dyes. Read more about this: http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/Dermatitis/files/clothing.pdf

New technologies have been developed to protect against UV radiation or to enhance breathability. These new technologies applied to fabrics can also cause allergic reactions and rashes. Most people who have textile allergies react to synthetic materials most often, some people are allergic to wool. When people believe they are allergic to cotton or silk, their reaction is usually to dyes or finishes applied to these natural materials or with the synthetic materials with which the natural fibers are blended.

The term hypoallergenic is used widely, although no Food and Drug Administration–approved definition of hypoallergenic exists. A warning exists for hypo irritating cleansers, cosmetics, moisturizers, and protectants; however, no standard method exists to identify textile products that are used by individuals with susceptible skin (atopic dermatitis, facial skin of individuals with rosacea).

My advice is to:

1. read labels carefully, watch out for wrinkle-free, fire resistant, UV protection, soil repellant fabrics.

2.Wash all new clothes three times in a perfume-free, dye-free detergent or soap like Nellies Washing Soda and rinse two times. See the skin products I recommend including Nellies Washing Soda in my Allergy product Store.

3. Use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets or fabric softener, Nellies makes a good one that is PVC-free.

4. Do not wear heavily dyed clothing and stay away from synthetic clothing that comes in direct contact with your skin.

5. Find an outfit or two that does not irritate your skin and designate those clothes for relaxing and exercising. During the work day, wear “safe” comfortable clothes under more irritating highly processed or colored clothes.

6. I wear silk long underwear in white or cream under all my irritating sweaters and trousers. I get my silk underclothes from http://wintersilk.com They have a lot of styles to choose from, stay with the lighter colors to be safe.

Visit my Skin Allergy Comfort Store  to see products I recommend like Nellies Washing Soda.

Book Review: “Toxic Free”

Are you suffering from unexplained headaches, fatigue, skin rashes or depression? Are you worried about the link between chemicals in the home and the rising rate of cancer and allergies? Or are you just looking to save money (and the planet in the process)? I don’t usually do book reviews, but I found “Toxic Free, How to protect your health and home from chemicals that are making you sick” by Debra Lynn Dadd to be an excellent book for learning about and changing your environment to be healthier.

Dadd, does an excellent job of pointing out the trouble spots in your home and telling you how to find better and safer alternatives. She is a consultant, lecturer, and writer on healthy and green living, Dadd has appeared on Today, Geraldo at Large, and CNN, and has been featured on the cover of Natural Health magazine. I found this book on amazon.com

I appreciate your comments, please leave one directly below this blog entry.

Information on skin allergies, itching, dermatitis and eczema.

For almost two years, I have written many blogs on skin allergies, dermatitis and eczema. These are my popular posts by far. In this blog post I would like to summarize my blogs to  give you easy  access links to many of my most popular blogs for skin allergies.

Check out a few of  these past blogs of mine:

Help for those with dermatitis and eczema.  http://wp.me/pL8NX-7o

Causes of eczema and dermatitis and how to eliminate them http://wp.me/pL8NX-7f

How to Make Itchy Skin Go Away  http://wp.me/pL8NX-6O

Allergic to your clothes? Some helpful advice.  http://wp.me/pL8NX-6x

Atopic dermatitis Why it’s so hard to control  http://wp.me/pL8NX-4O

Removing “tagless” tags from clothing  http://wp.me/pL8NX-4p

Why do blue jeans turn my legs blue and make me itch?  http://wp.me/pL8NX-3F

Are your clothes causing an itchy rash?  http://wp.me/pL8NX-29

All Skin Allergy blog posts can be found on my Allergy Comfort Zone Website.  http://allergycomfortzone.com/skin-allergies.html

If you have any comments, please make them below.

Causes of eczema and dermatitis and how to eliminate them

First of all eczema is used as a general term for many types of skin inflammation and itching skin (also called dermatitis) and allergic-type skin rashes. There are many things that can irritate your skin. There are two basic types of causes for eczema and dermatitis in your home; allergens and irritants. Some reactions happen on the surface of your skin and some reactions happen internally but show up as irritation on your skin.

Contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis are two different forms of eczema. Contact dermatitis is an external reaction that occurs when your skin comes in contact with something your are allergic to or a chemical that is irritating to your skin. This type of eczema is the easiest to figure out and correct.

Atopic dermatitis is the result of an internal reaction by your immune system to an irritant or allergen. When your immune system interacts with the trigger, and typically another component in your body such as irregular hormones, food allergies or stress-related toxins, the result is an eczema outbreak on your skin that is painful, swollen, and itchy. This rash can occur anywhere on your skin, not just at the spot where you contacted the allergen or irritant. Atopic dermatitis is the hardest type of eczema to eliminate, because it is hard to know what to look for, when two elements are involved.

The irritant may also be a common household chemical. Some of the more common chemical irritants are laundry detergent, fabric softeners, cleaning solvents, latex products, and nail varnish. However, you may eliminate all these things and still find you are breaking out. If that is the case, check many of the items you use on a regular basis, such as the synthetic fibers in your bedding, clothes, furnitures, rugs and your beauty products, to make sure they are not irritating your eczema. Also look for mold, mildew and pet dander in your environment which can serve as a trigger for allergies. Many people have a reaction to lime juice, hand sanitizers, antiperspirants, hair removal products, antibiotic ointments and even metal zippers and snaps (it’s the nickel).

Some allergens in your foods can contribute to your atopic dermatitis. Foods like peanuts, strawberries, food coloring, cow milk, eggs, soy, tree nuts, wheat and other food additives are known to cause internal and external eczema.

Here are a few tips for avoiding skin irritation:

1. Read labels. Know exactly which chemicals are in the product you’re using. Try to avoid products that contain ingredients you’ve had a reaction to in the past. Follow directions on the label so you know you’re using the cleaning product safely.

2. Go alternative. “Green” cleaners won’t necessarily prevent dermatitis, but they are generally gentler on the skin, not to mention on the environment. Look for cleaning products labeled “fragrance and dye-free” or “all natural,” or try an old-fashion cleaner like baking soda. Nellies makes a very good All Natural Washing Soda

Bottom line: Be your own detective. You are the best one to narrow down and eliminate irritants in your surrounds. Why spend the money on allergy patch testing when you can do a more accurate elimination trial on your own using products you already have. Visit my Skin Allergy Products Store  to see products and books I recommend.

If you have any comments or suggests please comment below.

Beautiful Fall Brings Not So Lovely Allergies

If you have a runny nose and sneezing with watery or burning eyes, you have an allergy. Welcome to the club. It’s not a very exclusive club because over 50 million Americans have allergies or develop them sometime in their life. One of the most common allergies in the Fall is pollen. It can come from grass, weeds or trees. Ragweed is the most common culprit in the Fall.

Besides the usually symptoms of runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes, many people develop seasonal dermatitis. Contact dermatitis is simply your body’s reaction to something touching your skin. A skin allergy can be mild, like a slight rash or It can be more pronounced, with itchy bumps or blisters. Allergic reactions are caused by our body’s natural immune system, the body’s system of white blood cells and antibodies that fight off infection.

In people with allergies, the immune system over reacts to things that aren’t really dangerous. Their immune systems react to certain foods, plants like poison ivy, pollens in the air, metals like nickel, or ingredients in makeup, detergent or shampoo. Nobody knows exactly why this happens, but there seems to be a genetic connection, because allergies tend to run in families.

A rash can be caused by:

• Irritants in the air
• Nickel, often found in inexpensive plated jewelry or white gold jewelry
• Preservatives, including formaldehyde and quaternium 15, which are found in some cosmetics, paints, and household cleaners
• Fragrances in shampoos, detergents, lotions and anti-aging products
• Latex or other materials in rubber gloves
• Cobalt chloride, found in some deodorants. I use Almay hypoallergenic Fragrance-Free Antiperspirant & Deodorant
• Fabric dyes, especially those used on synthetic fabrics.
• Poison (plants or chemicals in cleaning products)
• Certain foods

What to do:

• Many dermatologists will tell you to use-low dose steroid creams. They are fine for very short-term use, like for poison Ivy. I would stay away from them for extended use. I used steroid creams for many years and have permanently damaged the skin on my arms and upper legs. My skin is now thinner and crepey in those areas.

• Avoiding the irritant is the best course of action. Always shower and wash your hair before going to bed. to remove any air-borne allergens from your skin that would transfer to your bedding. Wash your clothes after coming in contact with the allergen. Use a fragrance-free, dye-free detergent, with a double rinse.

• Check labels carefully for ingredients you are allergic to. Be careful of cheap jewelry and white gold jewelry that might contain nickel.

• I also like to use over-the -counter antihistamine tablets, such as an allergy medicines. Consumer Reports recommends: Loratadine 10 mg tablets, Loratadine dissolving 10 mg tablets, Loratadine liquid 10 mg or Alavert dissolving 10 mg tablet. These all contain the same best-selling prescription drug as Claritin (in 2002  loratadine became generic). Antihistamine medicines block histamine from interacting with your skin and nasal tissues.

If you have any other hints please share them with us in the comments below.