Cosmetics may cause food allergies

What people with food allergies should be aware of

If you have allergies to certain foods, it goes without saying that you should carefully check the ingredient labels when buying food. However, do you check the ingredient labels of the following products that you use on a daily basis?

• Cosmetics (makeup and skin care)
• Hair care products such as shampoo
• Body wash or soap
• Deodorant Products
• Bath Salts
• Wet wipes and baby wipes
• Massage oil
• Toothpaste

Some cosmetic ingredients are derived from food sources such as wheat, nut oils, and dairy, and it is not uncommon for these ingredients to be found in the products listed above.

When a person with a food allergy uses cosmetics that contain the allergen Unexpected allergic reactions may occur.

The risks are still unclear, but the Australian Allergy Society and Anaphylaxis UK recommend that people with food allergies avoid using cosmetics that contain the allergen in question.

Food allergy risk from cosmetics

Cosmetic ingredients are applied to the skin, not meant to be eaten or drunk. However, there is a possibility that they may be accidentally ingested or that the ingredients may be absorbed through the skin.

If you have an allergy to cosmetics, it may cause an immediate skin reaction such as hives (urticaria) or a delayed skin reaction such as dermatitis.

Also, even people who have never had allergies before can no longer rest easy.
If a cosmetic product contains a food allergen, you may suddenly develop an allergy to that food one day.

Natural cosmetics can cause food allergies

A woman was using a cream containing oat ingredients .
There have been cases where people who had no previous allergies suddenly developed life-threatening allergies after eating foods containing oats.

There have also been a number of problems in Japan where people have developed wheat allergies after using soap containing wheat-derived ingredients.

Furthermore, research has shown that children who used moisturizers or oils containing peanut oil during infancy are more likely to develop peanut allergies.

Many people may have the impression that natural cosmetics are good for the skin and body.
However, repeated use of skin care products that contain allergens can cause sensitization to those foods through the skin, which can then lead to the development of food allergies.

It has also been found that the risk increases especially when applied to extremely dry skin or skin with wounds or rashes.

Be careful with eczema creams too

You should also be careful about the following products, which can be used when skin problems or infant eczema occur.

• Moisturizer
• Skin care for sensitive skin
• Skin care for dry skin
• Natural soap
• Diaper rash cream
• Eczema cream
• Anti-itch

These products may also contain food allergens, such as:

• milk
• soy
• Oats
• almond
• Peanuts
• wheat
• orange
• apple

A European study conducted in 2020 found that of 276 products marketed to infants and young children, more than a third contained at least one food allergen.
Of that total, 42% was almonds, 22% was wheat, and 15% was soybeans, with other ingredients including oats, sesame, milk, and peanuts also reported.

Products that advertise themselves as "natural," "organic," "derived from nature," or "containing naturally derived ingredients" are more likely to contain these ingredients.

Be sure to check the ingredients carefully to prevent unnecessary worry and unexpected allergic reactions.