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Avatar universal

Unsure of allergy type

This may be a food allergy or chemical or something else. I'm not sure yet.

Daily when the allergy occurs, my face goes red and it feels like I have sunburn, but don't.  It usually happens in the morning so I'm trying to pin it on either breakfast or perhaps my showering.
My skin starts peeling off various areas of my face and it looks and feels horrible.

I took part in a 10 day Detox diet and it seemed to help things. For the first time I can remember my forehead actually had it's natural oils on it and I was surprised.

I tried to pin it down to something so now that the diet has ended I've gone back to my old eating habits but have introduced things slower than normal.
Lunch and Dinner don't seem to have too much of an effect.

At one stage I thought it might be wheat or gluten I am allergic to. I had a Coles brand packet of Oats and ate them one morning and my face did it's usual reaction.  The packet says "THIS PRODUCT CONTAINTS GLUTEN!" on it.

However, the next night before dinner I had a shower and when I got out and dried myself my face had the sunburn/peeling going on.  This got me to thinking perhaps it was to do with the shower. I noticed my shampoos have wheat in them so bought a new one with no wheat mentioned in the ingredients, but my face had the same reaction.

My other thought is perhaps the softener in my washing load is causing the issue as it's the cheapest brand at the shop. The laundry detergent may not be an issue since it's a "Sensitive skin" type guaranteed not to cause allergies (or so it says). I'm testing that theory by doing my current wash without the softener and threw in one towel to see what happens.
This evening I found a towel which has been in storage a year and a half and not washed recently. After using that, my skin didn't seem as bad as it has been in the past.  I put on some Johnsons baby oil containing aloe vera and vitamin E to see if that helps.

Any ideas?
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Avatar universal
Hi

I think i found out the reason for my skin allergy , I get rashes when i am deeply
stressed and tensed. Its not becasue of food. My dad also was getting skin rashes
when he was young during his exams.

after i realized i keep myself cool and calm and since two days i have not got any rashes. I got one in the morning and i change my mood and it reduces by itself.

hope this information will help.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi ,  No i do not use any lube at all, but the next time it did not appear.
i am still unsure the reason for rashes, i had it yesterday but not today.
though my food pattern is the same and nothing i had new.

It only starts after 11 or 12 in the midnight, I only have home food and avoid outside food.
i am not able to figure out the allergent still........
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
"skin rashes after sexual intercouse" Are you using a lube during sex? Wondering if that could be adding to the rash.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi i have been getting skin allergy since May 2008, It started with the chicken biryani which was introduced in our office, I had rashes all over my hand and legs. and swallon lips twice. I have been monitoring my food since 2 months, i use to get allergy only after 1 am as i work for a call center. I stoped eating food from office since 2 weeks . i was not able to figure out the cause i suspected water and food in my office, but today i noticed tiny skin rashes after sexual intercouse.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks crystal!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
For me it's soaps. I use Dove unsented. Also Soy products make my skin all red when I eat them.

As for foods, you can separate them in to groups of 5 foods. Only eat those 5 things for 2 days then switch groups. See if any groups affect you differently.

Soaps. Switch soaps every 2 days. I have this strange skin pealing thing I am trying to narrow down too now.  But I seem to have it narrowed down to products that have specific chemicals in them, however I don't know what the chemicals are just that they are in the items I use. I found that if I used a similar product and looked at ingredients and found that one had stuff the other did not. Getting help from a skin doc is advised if you can't do it on your own because they know where to look.

The pealing is probably a contact not a food but I don't know. Could be anything that touches your skin. Keep a list of everything that touches your face. You might also what to use paper towels to dry your face to exclude laundry soap as a cause. Test Test Test. It could be a delayed reaction so do all tests over 2 days before switching.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks, kind_doc.
I guess it's best to find out for sure.
Helpful - 0
563773 tn?1374246539
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,

From the symptoms you have mentioned, it seems to be a case of Eczema. It is a form of chronic dermatitis (rash).Allergic reaction is one of the important causes of eczema. Allergic reaction can occur to strong soaps, Solvents, chemicals, certain foods, food additives, plants, metals, cosmetics, even urine and faeces of some animals (dust mites).

Diagnosis of skin allergies includes Skin ***** tests (pricking the skin with a needle or pin containing a small amount of the allergen ('***** Testing' or 'Scratch Testing'), Patch tests (by applying a patch to the skin, where the patch contains the allergen.)And RAST.

Treatment includes avoidance of the allergen, oral antihistaminics; topical application of corticosteroids.You may try application of calamine on the affected site. It may work by soothing the skin.

Pls seek an appointment with a dermatologist for your complete examination and for figuring out the allergen to which you have allergy.

Do keep posting.
Helpful - 0
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