Allergies
- Thread starter Neve
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So if you use the same soaps with nothing new you shouldn't suddenly develop issues?
I just want to rule it out. All summer my skin has been going red to the touch and burning and my allergy meds are no longer working so well. Still two weeks until I see the dermatologist. I think it is an immune problem but I want to be able to rule out soap wierdness. I hadn't done any new soaps or fragrances when it started. I actually have hardly any fragrance oils. And I tried unscented for a while too.
I just want to rule it out. All summer my skin has been going red to the touch and burning and my allergy meds are no longer working so well. Still two weeks until I see the dermatologist. I think it is an immune problem but I want to be able to rule out soap wierdness. I hadn't done any new soaps or fragrances when it started. I actually have hardly any fragrance oils. And I tried unscented for a while too.
coffeetime
Well-Known Member
Try stopping soap for a few days and just wash with water, see if the symptoms improve.
Allergies are a reaction to "something" your body has been exposed to before. It takes more than one exposure to become allergic to something. You can become allergic to something at any time during your life. If you are wondering whether it is your soap, then stop using it for at least a week to see if your skin improves or not.
You will do yourself and your dermatologist a huge favor by being your own detective. You need to look at everything you are using or is being used in your world. Have you started any new(ish) medications or began eating any new(ish) foods? What about laundry detergent, dryer sheets, lotions, fabric freshener spray, or any other new products anywhere in your environment? If you work outside your home, you need to find out what the cleaning people are using at your job. Write all of this down before going to see the dermatologist. Then start eliminating things one at the time for a week each to see if things improve. Record whether the rash improved or not. Take this to the dermatologist. Except medications. Stop the medications only under the instructions of the physician that prescribed them. But, do take a list of all your medications to the dermatologist also. The dermatologist is going to have you do all of this anyway if he/she thinks it is an allergic reaction, so you save time by arriving at the office with the information.
Ruthie
Well-Known Member
What Susie said!
Besides that, a friend whose son has terrible skin problems just took him off all gluten and the change for him has been wonderfully dramatic. So if nothing else checks out, you might try the non-gluten route.
Besides that, a friend whose son has terrible skin problems just took him off all gluten and the change for him has been wonderfully dramatic. So if nothing else checks out, you might try the non-gluten route.
I agree with Susie but I would start by not using your soap to see if perhaps it may be something in the soap that you have developed a sensitivity to.
Yes, I would start with the soap also.(Sorry, I thought I phrased that better, but it was the middle of the night.) People usually figure out what is causing their own skin allergies, so go with you think it is first.
And, as mentioned above, it could also be foods or other things causing issues. It could be some sort of disease this is a symptom of. So, kudos to you for making the appointment before asking here. This is a great resource, but not a substitution for an MD.
And, as mentioned above, it could also be foods or other things causing issues. It could be some sort of disease this is a symptom of. So, kudos to you for making the appointment before asking here. This is a great resource, but not a substitution for an MD.
It started in the spring after being bitten by mosquitos. Now it's fall and my meds aren't working anymore.
I hadn't used anything new soaps or otherwise. Many of my soaps don't even use FOs.
I'll try liquid Castile for a while. Skin really hurts today.
I hadn't used anything new soaps or otherwise. Many of my soaps don't even use FOs.
I'll try liquid Castile for a while. Skin really hurts today.
Please let us know if it is soap related, would you? Hope you feel better soon!
Ruthie
Well-Known Member
I know I've gotten stubborn in my old age, but I would have refused to pay and/or leave until I got more from her than that. Still, you can be your best doctor. Remove possible allergens and only add back one at a time. You can probably track down the culprit.
OK, well, now is when I would go look up allergy specialists in the phone book or yellowpages.com, and find out if I needed a referral or not. Something is causing it, and you need to know what it is for your own health. Some allergies have so many cross allergens that life is miserable until you get desensitized. And allergic reactions worsen over time, so what causes an itch now can cause a full blown anaphylactic reaction in the future.
The allergy specialist is going to want do a full scratch test on you, so just be prepared for that. And it is not a bad idea to eliminate all of the pollen/molds/pet possibilities. There really is no other way to figure those out.
You are just going to have to get stubborn and be your own best health advocate until you find a doctor to help. Keep on eliminating possible causes and writing it all down.
But I have to agree with Ruthie. I would not have left without some answers. But you still learned something...not to go back to her.
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I have found that this is pretty standard for the medical field these days... Cover the symptoms with meds and send 'em on their way.
But I'm with Ruthie. I wouldn't have budged out of her office until I got some answers. If it is indeed, Chronic Urticaria, I would have known exactly what that is and what causes it and how this medicine would help and how long it would last, etc, etc.
A couple of years ago, I developed a rash on my torso. I scoured the internet looking for answers and comparing photos (after I made an appt with my derm). When I showed up for my appt, I laughingly told him I think I have "so and so". He laughed and took a look. Sure enough, I was right and he told me, "Wow, that was an excellent self diagnosis!". So my advice, like the others, is be proactive. You might want to start with a good detox program to get yourself on an even playing field. If you don't get better after the meds, I would indeed look up an allergy specialist.
Also, did you mention to the doctor about the mosquitoes? This might be an important clue as it started after this.
Hope you are feeling better soon and I hope it is NOT related to your beloved soaps! Keep us informed!
Yes, it is very possible to be allergic to soap. Susie gave great advice in her post, and allergies can certainly worsen over time and can become life threatening. I hate it when I hear someone say, "it is just eczema." Guess what, eczema can cause anaphylactic reactions. When I have a customer ask for soap for eczema for themselves or their child I suggest they seek medical attention if what they call eczema is more than just dry skin. I also back off from selling a soap for a child with eczema unless their doctor has recommended it. Latex gloves, among other things, will gain me a trip to ER with a severe eczema attack that have almost been one-way trips to ER. A few yrs ago on a bike road trip through a Colorado canyon area sent me to emergency in the middle of the night. It was determined that I had been bitten by gnats.
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Yeah she really didn't give me a chance to ask any questions. She wrote the scripts and walked out the door! Didn't even examine me and no I didn't get a chance to tell her about the mosquitos, soap or anything else. For a first visit I was very shocked. I guess your skin itching and burning from head to toe is no big deal to some people. She did say it wasn't chemical.
Oh and we don't pay here so there's no leverage in that regard.
Still using my soap because the meds seem to be working again. The whole point of making my own was because I needed a shampoo bar! My friend said if it's the soap I should still make and sell it but not use it myself. Ummm. No. If I can't use it I'm done. But my skin loved my soap right from the first one and one customer has super sensitive skin and they are fine for her. It's hard to believe I could have become allergic but I really don't know about anything anymore.
Oh and we don't pay here so there's no leverage in that regard.
Still using my soap because the meds seem to be working again. The whole point of making my own was because I needed a shampoo bar! My friend said if it's the soap I should still make and sell it but not use it myself. Ummm. No. If I can't use it I'm done. But my skin loved my soap right from the first one and one customer has super sensitive skin and they are fine for her. It's hard to believe I could have become allergic but I really don't know about anything anymore.
