Unseen epidemic: Beauty lotions and other household products blamed for skin allergy surge

Everyday beauty and cleaning products are being blamed for an epidemic of skin allergies.

Preservatives used in Nivea skin lotion, some L’Oreal creams and Wet Ones cleaning wipes are being linked to an outbreak of acute allergic contact dermatitis, mostly in women over 40.

The ingredients – MI and MCI – are also found in mascara, shower gels and washing up liquids.

Dermatologists say there has been a surge in allergic reactions –including facial swelling, itching, hives and redness – caused by exposure to the preservatives.

Dr John McFadden, consultant dermatologist at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, is urging the cosmetics industry to take action.

A team at the Leeds Centre for Dermatology also discovered a sharp rise of 6.2 per cent in sensitivity in contact allergy to the ingredients over the past three years.

They suspect the legal limit of 0.01 per cent of MI in personal care products is too high.
Specialists presenting research to the British Association of Dermatologists’ conference in Liverpool this week say the levels should be cut further, or eliminated.

In the US, the American Contact Dermatitis Society named MI ‘contact allergen of the year’ for 2013 to draw attention to its potential for triggering reactions.

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