Every woman tries to look attractive at any age. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to go to a professional salon, so most take care of their skin at home. For this, various procedures can be used to restore the correct metabolic process, while maintaining youth and beauty. A wide variety of cosmetic products allows a woman to choose a product suitable for her skin type.
Often, a hasty or incorrect choice of a new cream causes an allergic reaction. The search for a solution to a problem, as a rule, begins only after it arises. Therefore, in this article we will answer frequently asked questions from our readers:
- I have an allergy to face cream. What to do?
- How to test a face cream for allergies?
Causes of the disease
Every girl wants to be irresistible. Natural, natural beauty, of course, is valued, but young ladies and mature young ladies still prefer to use cosmetics. What to do if it suddenly turns out that the fair sex is allergic to cosmetics?
Allergists have studied this problem quite closely. And this is what turned out.
As it turns out, many people are allergic to cosmetics, but medical luminaries believe that girls with skin that is overly sensitive to irritants most often suffer. The most annoying thing is that allergies appear exactly where everything should be perfect - on the face. It is important to diagnose allergies to cosmetics in a timely manner.
Symptoms: how they manifest themselves
Signs of an allergic reaction manifest differently for everyone. Sometimes several symptoms may occur at the same time:
- redness:
- burning and itching;
- peeling and dry skin;
- swelling of the face;
- formation of blisters and bubbles.
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With prolonged contact with the allergen, the manifestations begin to become more pronounced. In combination with internal disorders of the body, the following forms of rashes may develop:
- Nodular. In medicine, they are called papules and look like swelling with a uniform texture. It has a scarlet tint that changes when pressed or mechanically applied. The sizes of the nodules may vary.
- Subcutaneous water bubble. In medicine it is called urtica. Its shape is rounded or irregular, accompanied by itching and a rush of blood. Usually the blisters disappear on their own after a day, leaving no scars.
- Specific redness. Red spots with characteristic, distinct boundaries appear on the face or other area. This occurs as a result of intense expansion of capillaries.
- Pustule. It is a red purulent nodule with a white dot in the center. During mechanical action, its shade does not change.
Find out how to moisturize your skin at home using natural products here.
If treated incorrectly or if the influence of the allergen on the body continues, secondary rashes may occur:
- Eshara. A specific crust that appears as a result of a primary rash, which led to tissue death.
- Flake. Its shade can be yellow or gray. Appears due to peeling of the upper layer of the skin. They appear after papules or pustules. How to get rid of peeling skin
Allergens - pests
Fragrances are the cause of allergies to cosmetics
Any beauty wants to not only look presentable, but also smell like a fragrant spring flower. But what are perfumes made of? The substances used in modern times are of synthetic origin, whereas previously perfumers resorted exclusively to ingredients of animal origin. Nowadays, only sophisticated scent connoisseurs can afford this.
Substances of animal origin
In expensive perfumes we can find musk, amber and civet - substances of plant origin. Ambergris is obtained from the stomach of male whales. This substance is used to fix and preserve odor on the body for a long time. Musk is an ingredient with a rather pungent odor, which can often be found in masculine scents. In nature, animals mark their territory this way. Civet comes to the rescue when a perfumer creates a unique oriental scent. It is these components that cause allergies to cosmetics.
Substances of plant origin
What is a fragrance without the use of subtle notes of floral compositions? Rose attracts with its delicate aroma, jasmine with its audacity, oriental flavor is achieved through the use of sandalwood root. The smell of iris remains in the memory for a long time, just like lavender. With all the charm of these odors, it is important to remember that all of the above are powerful allergens and you should not once again put yourself at risk by not passing an allergen test.
How to check what you are allergic to?
If you use several cosmetic products at the same time, then each should be tested for the body's response. Check the cream using a simple method. The test consists of applying the ointments used to the wrist, since the skin in that place is delicate and sensitive. After 1-2 days, a reaction must appear if the cream contains allergenic substances.
If it is not possible to identify allergens in this way, then it would be more advisable to seek help from a specialist. Using skin tests, it will be possible not only to identify allergenic cosmetics, but also the allergen itself.
IMPORTANT! Before performing skin testing, refrain from consuming potential allergenic foods to avoid erroneous results.
You need to know allergens by sight!
Benzyl acetate smells aromatically of jasmine and fruit, but has the negative property of causing problems with the respiratory system as a whole.
Camphor , which itself has no odor as such, causes sudden dizziness and can even lead to fainting.
A-pinene tends to suppress the immune system, and children’s bodies are especially at risk.
The aroma of almonds can cause irritation of the mucous membranes, and this is facilitated by a substance called benzaldehyde
So be careful!
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine shows good results in the treatment of allergic reactions in the eye area, but should only be prescribed by a doctor. To remove inflammation from the skin of the eyelids, apply cotton pads soaked in a decoction of chamomile, cornflower or string. A potato mask has a healing effect. To prepare it, you need to grate one potato, then add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to it. The product is spread on gauze and then applied to the eyelids for 10 minutes.
Preservatives are the cause of allergic reactions
Another problem that is worth considering in this article is the use by modern manufacturers of a huge amount of all kinds of preservatives. For what? It's no secret that every customer wants to use their favorite makeup remover or mascara longer. This is where preservatives come to the rescue, behaving aggressively when they come into contact with the skin of an allergic person.
You should avoid products that contain formaldehyde, methyldibromoglutaronitrile in combination with phenoxyethanol , better known as Euxyl K400 (cause contact allergies).
Antioxidants used in the manufacture of all kinds of moisture-resistant sunscreen products also have a detrimental effect on the health of allergy sufferers.
The most allergenic types of creams
An allergy to the cream manifests itself in situations when the body’s defense system identifies the substances included in the product as harmful. This reaction provokes the production of large amounts of histamine, an excess of which causes rashes, itching and swelling.
Among the most dangerous chemical components included in creams are:
- lanolin, used to provide a moisturizing effect;
- methylparaben and propylparaben, used as a preservative;
- butyloxytoluene and tocopherol acetate components that provide antioxidant protection.
When choosing a cream, you should carefully study the composition given on the packaging, giving preference to products containing the maximum amount of natural ingredients.
Most often, women complain of allergic reactions after using foundations (Maybelline affinitone, L'oreal, Black Pearl). Pathological symptoms may occur due to prolonged skin contact with the chemical components included in the product.
Allergy to eye shadow
Girls love when people pay attention to them. This is no secret to anyone. All sorts of tricks are used for this. One of them is bright makeup, which can highlight the natural beauty of the eyes. However, what should a girl do if she is allergic?
First of all, you need to pay attention to the composition of the shadows. You don't have to be a chemist to guess that eye shadows basically contain dyes. If the shadows are liquid, manufacturers use oils of plant and animal origin.
Allergists recommend avoiding the use of products containing the following substances:
- Tocopherol acetate: May cause burning and irritation around the eyes.
- Aluminum powder: found in eye shadows as a coloring component; negatively affects the nervous system and inhibits the reproductive functions of the body.
- Titanium dioxide: also used as a paint; causes irritation of the mucous membrane of the eyes and nose, and can accumulate in the lungs.
- Propylparaben: a preservative that affects the human endocrine system.
Allergy to face cream: saving your skin
“Always read the small print,” says popular wisdom. The same applies to cosmetic product labels. Try to avoid some ingredients in face creams:
- DMDM Hydantoin - not only causes allergies, but can also provoke very serious diseases, including cancer;
- Сeteareth- and PEG- - petroleum products, often used in face creams, are also dangerous for the skin and highly allergenic;
- Fragrance, Hydroquinone - are also very dangerous for the skin, cause irritation and contain toxins that can cause an allergy to face cream;
- Lactic acid, AHA, BHA, Glycolic acid are found mainly in anti-aging creams, but are not antioxidants and may not only fail to rejuvenate the skin, but also ruin it.
Of course, if an allergy is literally present, the following folk recipes will help:
- For any type of allergic reaction on the face, the following mask is recommended: grate horseradish, squeeze out 1 tbsp. juice and mix with 1 tbsp. sour cream, leave for a couple of days, and then apply to clean facial skin;
- For oral administration, 1 tbsp is recommended. pour 1 cup of boiling water over nettle, leave for half an hour and drink half a glass 4 times a day. This infusion helps with rashes and redness of the skin.
At the first symptoms of an allergy to face cream, you should immediately wash it off, take an antihistamine and use one of the above recipes. If the allergic reaction does not go away, you should consult an allergist; you may have an allergy with complications.
Allergies around the eyes, on the eyelids: causes and symptoms
Symptoms of allergies on the eyelids may be as follows:
- Swelling of the eyelids, itching
- Increased lacrimation
- Redness of the skin around the eyes
- Dry skin around the eyes
- Peeling skin
- Rare, but possible discharge from the eyes
However, it is necessary to differentiate allergic reactions from inflammatory edema and conjunctivitis. To do this, it is recommended to undergo examination by an allergist and take tests:
- skin tests with allergens
- scraping from the conjunctiva
- examination of tear fluid to determine the number of eosinophils
- determine visual acuity
- conduct biomicroscopy – cornea, eyelashes, eyelid margins, conjunctiva
Most often, allergies on the eyelids are observed in people who already have some other manifestations of allergies, this could be a seasonal allergy to pollen, food allergies, allergies to perfumes, etc. Causes of allergies on the skin around the eyes:
- cosmetics, creams, gels, decorative cosmetics, even nail polish (see harmful substances in cosmetics, creams)
- poor nutrition, food allergies
- subcutaneous mites that may be in the frames of old glasses
- sun allergy
- very often, sensitive skin around the eyes reacts to ordinary tap water (see which water is best to drink), so to determine the cause of the allergy, try to exclude contact with water, and remove cosmetics only with hypoallergenic creams.
- The manifestation of allergies on the eyelids is often associated with disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract, with intestinal dysbiosis.
To clarify the cause of the allergy, you should consult the following doctors: dermatologist, gastroenterologist, allergist, endocrinologist.
