By Steven Neil
Having been first diagnosed with allergic dermatitis in early October of 2018, it wouldn’t be for another two months that a dermatologist ordered a patch test for me to determine which, if any, chemical allergies I might have that was causing severe outbreaks.
A patch test consists of allergens applied to small plastic dots then taped to your back, which remains in place for a week. The doctor covered my back with 138 spots for the test, and I found out just how long seven days can be.
Having tape stuck on you back for a week isn’t pleasurable anyway, but when that tape is covering over something you are extremely allergic to, it is a nightmare. But knowing you are going to be getting some answers when it was over made it worth every minute of the misery.
My answers came that Friday after the 2nd reading, and what answers they were. The test verified my allergies to the following chemicals:
1. 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate
2. Abietic Acid
3. Ammonium Persulfate
4. Benzisothiazolinone
5. Carba mix
6. Cocamidopropyl betaine
7. Colophony
8. Formaldehyde
9. Fragrance Mix I or II
10. Neomycin sulfate
11. Propolis
12. Thiuram mix
13. Methylisothiazolinone + Methylchloroisothiazolinone
14. (Nitrobutyl)morpholine/(ethylnitro-trimethylene) dimorpholine Bioban™ P 1847
15. Rubber Accelerators (Diphenylguanidine)
If you are like me, you have never even heard of most of these chemicals, in my case, I had heard of formaldehyde and fragrances, but that was all. So, my initial response was one of cautious optimism because I expected to have to give up a few things, and life would return to normal. Unfortunately, my new “normal” was anything but ordinary.
The first thing the dermatologist told me was that my career in inventory management was over; there was no way I could continue to work around industrial chemicals and cardboard. I asked about his cardboard comment, and he said that cardboard contains formaldehyde. It was about that time that one of his assistants came in with a stack of papers for me. What they told me was, primarily, that I am allergic to living in the modern world.
To put this in perspective, it is the chemicals in our everyday items that make our living standard possible, for instance, colophony. This chemical also goes under the following names:
* Abietic acid
* Abietic alcohol
* Abietyl alcohol
* Colophonium
* Disproportionated rosin
* Methyl abietate alcohol
* Rosin
* Rosin gum
* Tall oil
* Wood or pine rosin
The following common household goods often contain Colophony:
* Coated Papers
* Coffee bean polish
* Cosmetics
* Blush
* Eyeshadows
* Lip balm
* Lipsticks
* Mascara
* Powder foundation
* Dental Products
* Dental cements
* Dental Floss
* Impression pastes
* Periodontal dressings
* Diapers/Feminine Napkins
* Firewood pitch and smoke
* Furniture Polishes and Waxes
* Glues/Adhesives
* Lacquers and Varnishes
* Paints and Stains
* Pine-Oil Cleaners
* Printing Inks
* Stamps
* Tapes
* Topical Medications
* Antiseptic salve
* Waterproofing Materials
* Wood and Sawdust
* Wood Fillers
* Yellow Laundry Bar Soap
Granted, I don’t use most of these items, but I do use stamps, tapes, glues, adhesives, and since not all these carry ingredients labels, I do not know if they contain Colophony or not. So, to be safe, I needed to replace any item that may have it as an ingredient that I touch or which emits odors because I react in either way. In searching for replacements, I found Elmer’s Glue-All is safe for general purpose and Dermicel, Micropore, Scanpor, Band-Aid Sheer Strips, or Original DuoDERM for wound dressing (that is of course if I am not allergic to any of the ingredients in any of these products).
Colophony is just one of the fifteen chemicals I am allergic to and certainly not as common as formaldehyde, fragrances, or rubber accelerators. Between those three chemicals, my life has irrevocably changed.
Formaldehyde is in an insane amount of products we use every day including: moisturizing cream, make-up, shampoo, hair conditioner, hair gel, mousse, sunscreen, talcum powder, mouthwash, aftershave, antiperspirant, bubble bath, liquid soap, nail polish, dishwashing liquid, laundry starch, facial tissue, baby wipes, paper products, plastic bags, paper towels, currency, root canal disinfectant, orthopedic casts, foam insulation, bonded leather, fire-resistant clothing, pet care products, waterproof glue, rubber cement, water-based paint, paint primer, paint stripper, waterproof finish, plywood, and smoke from wood.
The lists for fragrances are equally as long and extensive. Between them, I needed to get rid of most of my clothes, all of my deodorants, shaving cream, shampoos, toothpaste, bar soaps, toilet paper, tissue paper, headphones, and even my new pair of glasses had to go if I was to start breaking out of the allergy maze.
Needless to say, my chemical allergies were going to alter my life entirely and cost a lot of money as well, none of which was going to be covered by Labor and Industries. The situation was indeed a bleak one at that time since I knew what I needed to get rid of, but not with what they were going to be replaced. Fortunately, one of the nurses at my dermatologist office told me about a website that would be the first place I found answers to my dilemma.
In my next installment, I will be sharing websites that helped me find products I could use and the information I needed.