FYI: Unlikely allergies

[EricKei]

I even heard about one person allergic to metal (aluminum I think).

Many deodorants/antiperspirants contain aluminum, which could be an issue for someone so allergic.

My most frustrating allergy is vanilla.

Out of curiosity - vanillA or vanillIN, or both? The latter, in many, MANY products in the US, is often referred to as "vanilla"/"vanilla flavoring," etc, but contains no actual vanilla.

[Seshat]

I read that it's due to insulating the kidlings from just about everything. Nobody gets to play in the dirt anymore, a developing immune system doesn't have anything to exercise itself with and so gets twitchy with common stuff.

I played in the dirt plenty. Hell, I played in the dirt under the house a lot of the time. Encouraged to garden - bare-handed. Helped build the compost heap, helped spread the compost. Washed the dog, cleaned up their poo. Cleaned cat litter trays. Swam in seawater and water from canals open to both the sea and the river. Hiked in wilderness (some of it protected rainforest), and drank water from clear, running mountain streams.
I figure my immune system was plenty challenged.

Still ended up with forearms that looked bee-stung after an allergen test.

Oh, and I'm allergic to plastic (both toluene and styrene-based) and formaldehyde. Bee-stung upper arms for those tests.

I think it's a combination of factors. Some people (eg me) are just allergen-prone, and we're hearing more about it.
Some people may be being allergen sensitised through not having their immune system sufficiently challenged.
Maybe something else. I'm not a researcher, I dunno.

[Seanette]

I even heard about one person allergic to metal (aluminum I think). Not deadly allergic, but would break out in a rash if touching something made of it for a while. (it was on TLC or Discovery, or something along those lines).

Sounds like a cousin of mine. Can't wear most jewelry without getting a nasty rash where it touches her.

I never had allergies that I know of until about five years after I moved here, when I developed some sort of seasonal allergy problem. I do hyper-react to bee stings, and to a lesser extent to most other insect bites/stings.

I'm also a bit oversensitive to some medications, and get odd side effects at times. For example, acetaminophen (aka Tylenol) sedates me. Take Tylenol, I'm taking a nap. Whether I want to or not.

[purple]

Out of curiosity - vanillA or vanillIN, or both? The latter, in many, MANY products in the US, is often referred to as "vanilla"/"vanilla flavoring," etc, but contains no actual vanilla.

As far as I can tell it is only vanilla but my coworkers either don't know if they have vanillia or artificial vanilla, or prefer to use real vanilla so no baking for me.

I have to agree that while the increase in sanitizing our world has probably increased allergies it is not the only reason.

I spent a lot of my childhood either outside eating slugs ( it was purple, I was 2), playing in mud, drinking from the hose or playing in and around a freight yard. yet I still have numerous allergies.

I do wonder how much is caused by how careful expectant mothers are with how they eat these days.

Regardless of what causes them the favt remains if someone tells you they are allergic belive them, no matter how unlikely you think their allergy is.

[Jester]

Latex is synthetic, yet I know many medical professionals allergic to it.

Former coworker of mine is allergic to latex. Didn't know it. Discovered it when she lost her virginity. And yes, apparently it was just as embarrassing as it sounds. Imagine having that conversation with your parents in the hospital.

Needless to say, her family's hasn't let her live that one down.

I figure my immune system was plenty challenged.

Still ended up with forearms that looked bee-stung after an allergen test.

Oh, I don't think anyone who mentioned this factor thought it was the only one. I certainly didn't.

Regardless of what causes them the favt remains if someone tells you they are allergic belive them, no matter how unlikely you think their allergy is.

With the obvious exception of when they are clearly full of shit. And I don't mean "I think that person is full of it" level full of shit. I mean over the top smartass level full of shit. As in, when I am at work and I sneeze--and I tend to sneeze VERY loudly--I immediately follow up my sneeze(s) by looking at the bar guests and saying, "Sorry about that. I'm allergic to sobriety. But it's okay....I'll be taking my medication later."

[Chromatix]

Jewellery allergies may often be nickel-related. "Nickel silver" is an alloy which looks a lot like silver, but doesn't tarnish as easily - it's used for many coins. Many people, however, are sensitive to nickel - handling coins a few times a day isn't a problem, but wearing a nickel-alloy ring is.

That is also one reason why niobium (a rare earth metal) is popular for earrings. The other is that it's easy to anodise into pretty colours.

[EricKei]

My brother found out - years ago - that he was allergic to the powder used in the latex gloves used at DaddyJim's pizza -- So they got him some plain gloves...This is how he found out that he was ALSO allergic to the latex itself. He decided to just wash his hands more often than normal when handling food... You know where this is going. He turned out to be highly allergic to either the brine used to preserve jalapeno, banana and pepperoncini peppers (the ones they throw into the box), or to the peppers themselves. Thus, he had to wash his hands *immediately* after making any pizza that involved any of these things. End result: Red, painful hands if he used gloves, red, non-painful (but still kinda raw) hands if he *didn't* use gloves (from washing them so much).

[Seshat]

There are non-latex medical gloves available, presumably they're also food-safe. (Worth checking, of course).

Problem is they're less comfortable than latex, I'm told. But they do the job.

[Kittish]

Nitrile gloves are quickly becoming the standard replacement for latex gloves, since latex allergies are apparently quite common. Latex allergy is also the reason a lot of hospitals no longer allow patients to receive latex balloons. I worked in a flower shop for several years, and when people would order balloon bouquets for people in the hospital, we could only use the mylar ones; none of the hospitals in the area would allow latex balloons. This was Dallas, TX, so there were a lot of local hospitals.

I don't think I'm actually allergic to latex gloves or the powder used on them, but they do make my hands go all red and the skin start cracking (to the point where there is blood oozing out. icky and painful). I had to show a couple of bosses this before they would get nitrile or those flimsy plastic gloves for me to use.

Also, I'd forgotten, I'm allergic to silver. Very very mild, to the point where the only time I get a noticeable reaction is if I try to wear silver earrings. Rings and bracelets only cause a bit of discoloration on my skin (turns kinda green unless I have a scratch, then it swells), but earrings will make my earlobes swell right up. I also used to throw up any time I was forced to eat chocolate ice cream, but I think that was more of a psychological reaction than actual allergy. I didn't WANT to eat chocolate ice cream because I knew it'd make me throw up (don't know where I got the association, but it was self fulfilling. I fought so hard against eating the stuff that I made myself sick), but was forced to from time to time by the female biological unit (this happened between the ages of about 4 and 6, then she finally stopped trying to stuff chocolate ice cream into me).

[firecat88]

As a kid, I was pretty much always listed as 'latex precaution', since latex allergies are common in people with spina bifida. When I got braces, though, I learned the hard way that I have a true allergy to the stuff. I had my spacers put in and, in the 15 minutes it took to drive from my orthodontist's office to my house, my tongue and gums got swollen, red, and itchy. We looked at the package that the spare spacers came in and, right there, it said 'contains latex'. After getting some non-latex ones (and taking some loratadine), the problem was solved.

[Bardmaiden]

My mother (her of the turkey allergy on the first page) is also allergic to gold, nickel metals which in jewellery terms means she can only wear sterling silver and platinum, she has a plate in her mouth that the metal top covers the plastic teeth because she is allergic to the material they are made from. She also allergic in some part to cucumber, mophiates (they make her very sick), another strand of meds used to sedate but I can't remember the name, the gloves they commonly use in UK hospitals, most perfumes (contact allergy), wheat and I'm sure I am missing quite a few others she really needs to make a list...

Me I'm intolerant to garlic and the scent of eucalyptus sets my asthma off.

[Rine]

This has been an interesting thread to read.

I've discovered I'm sensitive to a few things. I've had reactions to WD-40 (we use it to clean metal shelves.) I also develop rashes from whatever coats the stain resist/wrinkle free dress trousers. I don't know if those are exactly 'unlikely' allergies but I'm the only person at my job that breaks out in hives and such when in contact with those things. I've found all of this out from my retail job so now I keep medicine at work in case I start having reactions.

[Cia]

My mother (her of the turkey allergy on the first page) is also allergic to gold, nickel metals which in jewellery terms means she can only wear sterling silver and platinum...

If she can wear sterling silver (92.5% silver + 7.5% copper) I bet she could also wear argentium silver which has some of the copper replaced with the metalloid germanium. Argentium silver tarnishes slower than sterling silver.

When I was younger I had a nickel allergy - the skin under my watch would blister and I had contact dermatitus half way up to my elbow for years. Painting the back of my watch with clear nail polish helped and sometimes I'd use medical tape for a longer lasting cover. I now wear watches with stainless steel backs.

[Gilhelmi]

Actually, latex is natural. It's from the sap of the rubber tree. Synthetic rubber is different and isn't used for condoms, gloves, etc. Other synthetics can be (most popular are vinyl, and "nitrile".



Nickel is a *very* common allergy.

Really? Thank you, I did not realize that. Polyester is synthetic, I will say that instead.

[ParkingWitch]

My middle aunt has developed an allergy to citric acid, to such an extent that one of her medications can only be ordered from a specific manufacturer that does not use citric acid as a filler when making the pills.

My weird allergy is to the adhesive for bandages. Any brand any backing material, I will have a bright red raised itchy patch on my skin for at least as long as I have had the bandage on after I take it off.