Nut Oils In Cosmetics… the Dilemma for Anaphylactic’s
How would you feel… knowing that you had the potential of killing someone just by giving them affection and kissing them?
That is reality for parents who have children with anaphylactic nut allergies. For these parents avoidance of nuts in cooking and personal care is a life or death decision. For the parents of an anaphylactic nut allergy sufferer choosing what goes into their household can be a nightmare. Vigorous checking of labels is essential to ensure that their child is not exposed to any potential allergen.
Children who have a history of allergies, eczema or asthma are more likely to have a tree nut allergy. These individuals are also more likely to have a severe or life-threatening reaction, such as anaphylactic shock.
Cosmetics however would have to be one the hardest choices for those who choose to buy natural products. The majority of natural products contain almond oil or macadamia nut oil.
For myself as a parent, I found out that my son had a peanut allergy at 18 months. We decided to cook Satay Chicken and it had peanut butter in the sauce. I was not expecting an allergy but within 15 seconds of it touching his lips he started welting up and had hives all over him. I quickly administered an anti-histamine and he was ok, but we have since found out that he has other food allergies as well.
The majority of people classify peanut allergy under the heading of nut allergies, but peanuts are actually legumes. Other legumes include chickpeas, peas etc. We have since found out that our son is actually allergic to legumes.
Coconut is not a nut either but a fruit. Parents who have experienced allergies with their child would find it beneficial to get an allergy test done. This will enable you to consciously avoid the foods that they are allergic to.
A tree nut allergy is a potentially deadly type of food allergy. The allergic reaction actually occurs because of the proteins in the nut. Tree nut oils are a commonly found in cosmetics including shampoos, conditioners, and moisturisers.
Symptoms of tree nut allergies usually include:
- Swelling
- Hives
- Itchiness
- Redness
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Wheezing
- Runny nose
- Tingly tongue
Individuals allergic to tree nuts who have been exposed to tree nut proteins will usually begin to experience symptoms immediately, though they can also begin several hours later. Symptoms can also recur hours after the initial reaction subsides. Symptoms typically include swelling, hives, itchiness, redness, nausea and stomach pain. Severe reactions can result in anaphylaxis, leading to life-threatening anaphylactic shock.
Anaphylaxis occurs when the immune system over reacts to the protein in the nuts. This usually occurs by eating tree nuts or by being exposed to traces of tree nuts through processed goods. However, in some individuals it can also occur through skin contact or even inhaling tree nut fumes (usually released during cooking).
Some people are very responsive to even trace amounts of tree nut proteins. For these people simply touching or kissing another person who has recently consumed nuts can induce an allergic reaction or life threatening anaphylaxis. These sensitive individuals must be very careful not to have skin contact with any type of nut product and should also be careful not to inhale the fumes produced by cooking nuts.
Limiting contact with foods however is much easier than regulating what cosmetics your child’s friends have used. There are very few products on the natural market that don’t contain nut oils. The company who produces the cosmetics must also not use nut oils in any of their other products or there is a risk of cross contamination.
Eclogite Skin Care don’t use any nuts in any of their products. We manufacture our own products so we know there is no cross contamination with other companies products that contain nuts. This makes us a safe choice for you and your family.
Are Organic Cosmetics Really Better
The first question a consumer often asks before purchasing a skin care product is “Is it natural?” This perception has come about because numerous natural companies have been misinterpreting safety data sheets. Of course the reason they do this is to make their cosmetic seem safer when in reality this may not be the case.
Usually this inaccurate data comes in the form of Material Safety Data Sheets that have been taken out of context. Unfortunately MSDS often use animal studies as a determinant of safety , This however is not accurate and does not follow that that the same adverse effects are inevitable in humans.
Using animals as a means of deciding whether drugs and chemicals are safe has no weight what so ever. Most drugs are metabolised entirely differently by humans then animals. Even within the animal family some species will have no health affects while others will be killed by the same substance.
Thalidomide, a drug prescribed for morning sickness in the 60’s was tested on animals prior to release and deemed safe upon animal testing but soon after was found to cause birth defects in humans. Aspirin also causes birth defects in monkeys amongst many other animal species but is safe in humans.
With the massive amount of inaccurate information flying around the internet is it any wonder that consumers are going natural but natural does not mean safer for allergic skins.
Lavender oil which is frequently used in baby products and liberally in adult cosmetics is considered by most people to be fantastic because of its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Lavender however makes the skin more prone to burning from UV rays and also causes pigmentation, a condition that women pay hundreds to thousands of dollars to get rid of. Of course natural companies will not tell you that by using their lavender product that they will give you pigmentation. You are only told how fantastic it is and not what the long term consequences of use are.
Lavender and Tea Tree Oil have also been dubbed gender bender chemicals. Both of these natural oils have been shown to induce breast development in prepubescent boys. The report in The New England Journal of Medicine found that use of personal care products was a strong contributor to this phenomenon.
Lavender also is associated with contact dermatitis and allergies. Lavender contains Coumarin (makes you burn quicker), Geraniol, Limonene and Linalool; all of which are listed of the EU regulated list of contact allergens. Not a good choice for those with hypersensitivities. Of course this information about natural products is hidden from consumers in an attempt by natural companies to get a competitive edge over their synthetic counterparts.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is hailed as being terrible for your skin and there is no doubt it can dry your skin and cause problems. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is the benchmark for irritancy, it is what everything else is compared to. However replacing SLS with other surfactants does not mean you will not have an allergy. The newest breed of surfactants are derived from sugar and so are deemed natural, the fact that SLS comes from coconut another natural souce is not mentioned of course by natural companies. The Glucosides come from sugar and yes they are natural, but don’t use them if you have allergies. I have seen first hand people who look like they have been burnt from a couple of uses. Decyl Glucoside which is commonly used has a pH of 11. Yes you read that correctly. It is so alkaline that Citric Acid must be added at the end of formulation to bring down the pH so it does not burn your skin.
Do not rely on safety data sheets as an indicator of safeness. What causes an allergy in one person does not in another. Education however is the best knowledge you can have as it allows you to have choice and not be misled by hyped up advertising.
