Dear Dr. Jen,
Good day! I would like to ask what common chemicals are found in facial cleansers that are potentially harmful to the skin. Thank you.
RR
Dear RR,
The top two allergens that commonly cause irritation are fragrances and preservatives. Fragrance is usually labeled as parfum, of which balsam of peru is an example. Preservatives that may cause sensitive skin to react are formaldehyde, quaternium 15 and paraben. Colorants or dyes, like PPD, can be an ingredient that may cause contact dermatitis. PPD is also found in hair dyes and may give allergies not just to the face but also to the scalp. Lastly, lanolin or wool alcohol may also be a culprit in causing contact dermatitis.
If you are uncertain about the allergenic quality of a product, you can also try applying the product to your forearm everyday for a week. If no reaction occurs, then it may be considered safe to try it on your face. Best of luck!
Dear Dr. Jen,
I've been doing some gardening lately and growing some vegetables. I've noticed that my hands have become itchy and sunburned, but not my face. Is this perhaps related to the plants I've been handling? There isn't any poison ivy in my garden.
Julia
Dear Julia,
Some plants, not necessarily poison ivy, can react with light and may lead to phytophotodermatitis. This is an inflammation of the skin arising from the plant-plus-sunlight reaction. The hands are the common area affected because these are the parts of the body that are in contact with the plants.
It is the furocoumarins contained in some plants such as parsley, celery, carrot greens, parsnips, lime and lemon that cause this reaction. Treatment is simple with application of the usual steroidal creams for a week or two. But more importantly, avoidance of skin contact by wearing gloves and sunblock is necessary to avoid repetition of the dermatitis. Hope this answers your question!
Dr. Tan is a diplomate of Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) and is affiliated with Perpetual Succour Hospital (PSH). For information on PDS, check http://www.pds.org.ph/. For questions or concerns, please text to: 0932 857 7070; or email to: askskinrepublic@gmail.com; or call The Freeman: (032) 2531276, or PSH: (032) 233 8620 and 232 5929. Your inquiries will be forwarded to Dr. Tan.