Beauty allergies: You are what you (can’t) eat

By Michelle Bateman
Scan the labels of common skincare products and chances are you’ll see casein, lecithin or DMAE listed. Translation: dairy, soy, fish oil. Yes, they can be complexion enhancers, but if you can’t eat it because you’re allergic, can you actually whack it on your skin?

“The risk of allergy to food proteins that appear in cosmetics and topical creams is not well studied,” says Dr Connie Katelaris, professor of immunology and allergy at the University of Western Sydney and Campbelltown Hospital. “But there are reports that you may welt at the site where you apply it. The chances of it producing a generalised reaction would be exceedingly small.” In other words, breaking out in a rash is far more likely than, say, an anaphylactic reaction. The likelihood of a reaction can depend on the severity of your allergy, and how well made an ingredient is, notes Dr David Tye, a GP at Allergy Medical in Brisbane. “A peanut oil can be filtered and have virtually no peanut protein in it, but it’s not likely to be that grade of peanut oil in a cream.” If you have allergies, it’s about managing any reactions by learning how to read labels and assessing your risk.

May 30, 2012