Help, I'm Allergic! - Toxic Beauty

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Help, I'm Allergic! - Toxic Beauty

Skin Problems, Asthma and Allergies

Did You Know
Emollients (also referred to as occlusives) are used in face and body creams to soften the skin and form a protective waterproof layer of oil or wax on the skin, thereby preventing the evaporation of water from the skin's surface. This causes the stratum corneum to swell as it draws moisture from the lower layers of the skin, leading the cells to swell and press against each other, which temporarily reduces the cracks in the skin's surface.

Emollients don't provide additional moisture they merely prevent it from escaping. What is more, synthetic emollients can clog pores and cause skin irritation, contact allergies, blocked hair follicles, inflammation of the hair follicles (folliculitis) or boils and rashes. If the pores and hair follicles are blocked dirt and bacteria build up, causing blackheads and acne.

Is the concern about chemicals commonly found in beauty products just hype? You've probably been using personal care products for years with no obvious ill effects, so what's all the fuss about? in the following chapters we look a bit more closely at the chemicals we're exposed to and what the evidence is for their harmful effects. I'm starting with the most common health problems, including skin, eye and respiratory irritation, allergic reactions, sensitization and cancer.

While there are statistics charting the number of people who have experienced certain negative effects, there are millions of individuals who will not report their reaction to a cosmetic product. Instead they will either stop using the product and switch to an alternative, or grin and bear the skin, eye and respiratory irritation, or the multitude of symptoms that chemical -infused products can activate or exacerbate. Others will not necessarily realize that it is their use of cosmetics that is triggering these reactions. Those who habe an existing skin condition or asthma may have increased risk of reacting adversely to cosmetic ingredients.

Specific chemicals used in cosmetics are often referred to as being allergens, irritants or sensitizers. It is important to distinguish between the three terms, because they are often in correctly used interchangeably. 

An allergy refers to an exaggerated immune system response when the body comes into contact with a foreign substance (or antigen) that does not usually cause a reaction in most individuals. In allergic individuals specific antibodies  (special blood proteins produced by the body) are activated to attack the antigens, perceiving them as a threat.

In classical allergic reactions (e.g. urticaria), after initial exposure to an antigen there is a sensitization period, during which the body develops an abnormal response and overproduces immunoglobulin E (1gE) antibodies, making the antigen an allergen. The next time the individual is exposed to the allergen, the immune system continues  to overproduce these 1gE antibodies, which then attach to specialized cells in the immune system called mast cells. 

When the allergens attach to the 1gE antibodies, the mast cells try to fight them off by releasing numerous chemicals, including serotonin and histamine, which produces allergic symptoms in the form of a runny nose, itchy skin, wheezing, swelling, anaphylactic shock, and in some cases death.


Did You Know

In 1994 the Us Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a survey into the cosmetic usage of 1, 687 consumers aged 14 and above. Almost 25 per cent of those questioned said they had suffered an allergic reaction as a consequence of using personal care products, including moisturizers, foundations and eyeshadows.

Irritants
Irritants cause direct inflammatory response at the point of contact. Irritation is different to an allergy because it is not mediated by the acquired immune system response. The concentration of the substance used can dictate the severity of symptoms experienced and the effects subside once the product is no longer used. Irritation caused by exposure to cosmetic ingredients is very common; in fact, according to the British Association of Dermatologists all members of the population will experience an irritant contact reaction at some point in their lives.

Did You Know?
Skin irritation is the most common problem associated with shaving. in addition to the hair being removed, the stratum corneum is stripped away, leaving the skin more permeable to the chemical constituents in applied shaving products and aftershave. Potentially between 40 and 50 per cent denatured alcohol (ethanol mixed with small amounts of foul-tasting chemicals to make the mixture unfit for consumption), which is a penetration enhancer.

Sensitizers
Sensitizers are substances that cause hypersensitivity to an antigen on initial contact. With prolonged and ongoing use of the offending substance or related chemicals, this results in an allergic inflammatory reaction. The inflammation may appear anywhere on the skin, as opposed to being confined to the contact site and can persist for days or weeks.

The first few encounters with the substances may cause a milder reaction, which then worsens with subsequent exposures, leading to strong reactions even after brief exposure to low concentrations of the substance. Respiratory sensitizers cause hypersensitivity of the airways after inhalation of the substance.


Reference: Toxic Beauty : Dawn Mellowship

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