PPD allergy

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balfourlee
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Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 9:06 pm
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by balfourlee on Wed Sep 18, 2013 12:12 pm

PPD allergy

Need help with an on going condition please.
To cut a long story short about two and half years ago I started with a swollen eyes, weeping ears and a bad skin rash on my neck and chest and eventually worked its way down my body, my doctor referred me to the hospital for skin allergy tests, it turned out that I had a reaction to PPD in hair dye and also said that I was allergic to nickel and chrome as well. The condition worsened and I ended on immune suppressants as creams were not helping as the eczema/psoriasis was covering all my body. The immune suppressants have cleared it, but have tried to come off them since and the condition returned and had to go back on tablets. I seem to have reaction to lots of other cosmetics and hair products now and have to be very careful what I use.
I feel that the hospital are in the dark as to why it keeps returning as im not dying my hair anymore.
Please help, thanks

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Dr Jonathan Bowling
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Location: Oxford & London
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by Dr Jonathan Bowling on Wed Sep 18, 2013 1:25 pm

Re: PPD allergy

Dear Balfourlee,

If you have been on immunosuppressants and your skin is still very active then you should be seen again by your hospital team.

Sometimes cross-reactivity can occur with PPD reactions, also you may react to new allergens, therefore repeating the patch tests may be an option.

In the meantime try to collate a diary of products that you react to and take care to avoid, air fresheners, fragrance in any cosmetic product, wet wipes etc. Recently a number of patients are reacting to a chemical used to treat leather sofas. Thus external causes aggravating skin diseases can be widespread. Sometimes a skin biopsy may be considered by your hospital team if things do not settle.

I hope this helps.
Dr Jonathan Bowling FRCP
Consultant Dermatologist
Oxford

http://www.mydermatologist.co.uk
http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... owling.php

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Wendy Green
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by Wendy Green on Thu Sep 19, 2013 9:13 pm

Re: PPD allergy

Hi Balfourlee,

In addition to the excellent advice you've already been given I'd like to suggest the following:

As well as avoiding other potential irritants and possibly having further patch tests as Dr. Bowling suggests, it may be worthwhile looking at your diet; are you eating a healthy balanced diet with plenty of lean proteins, unrefined carbs, oily fish, nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables? Do you drink plenty of water? Your skin needs a wide range of nutrients to keep it healthy.

It may also be worthwhile supplementing your diet with omega 3, 6 and 9 fats (e.g. Boots Omega Oils 3,6, 9 capsules) as some people with eczema have been found to be short of these, or have problems metabolising them; the skin needs these fats to form a protective barrier. My eczema has improved dramatically since I began taking these daily.

Another factor could be stress - try to avoid/ cut down on activities/situations that make you feel stressed.
Make time to relax each day and take regular exercise - walking , swimming, gardening and yoga are especially good for relieving stress.

I hope this helps you :)

Wendy
Wendy Green
Health Expert and Author

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... _green.php

balfourlee
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Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 9:06 pm
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by balfourlee on Fri Sep 20, 2013 9:16 pm

Re: PPD allergy

Thank you both for your help.
I get the feeling I have definitely become more sensitive to other chemicals, does anyone know if there is a link between PPD and a cross reaction with parabens as I have noticed some of the products I have used that have caused my skin to react badly have contained these parabens?

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Wendy Green
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by Wendy Green on Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:07 pm

Re: PPD allergy

Hi Balfourlee,

It's certainly possible that your PPD allergy is causing a cross reaction with parabens - though according to this study it's rare - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17150168

It could just be that your skin is reacting to more than one substance and one of them happens to be parabens; parabens are present in numerous cosmetics and toiletries - so it sounds highly likely.

Perhaps you should ask for further patch tests and in the meantime use parabens-free products as much as possible to see if there is an improvement in your symptoms.

Good luck :)

Wendy
Wendy Green
Health Expert and Author

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... _green.php

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Dr Anton Alexandroff
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by Dr Anton Alexandroff on Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:11 pm

Re: PPD allergy

Dear Balfourlee,
I totally agree with Dr Bowling and Wendy. I would also stress that it might be helpful to repeat skin patch test. We now see a surge in patients suffering severe allergic reactions to new fragrances and especially a preservative called methylisothiazolinone.

I hope this is helpful.
With best wishes,
Dr Anton Alexandroff MRCP(UK) PhD FAAD FRSM
Consultant Dermatologist in Leicester and Bedford
www.alexandroff.org.uk
twitter @bedford_skin_dr
blog: http://privatehealthnews.co.uk/category ... rmatology/
Dr Anton Alexandroff
Consultant Dermatologist, Honorary Senior Lecturer & BSF spokesperson - FRCP, CCT (Derm), PhD, FRSM, FAAD

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... ndroff.php

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