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Cosmetics and skin care products are part of most people’s daily morning grooming habits. The average adult uses at least seven different skin care products each day. These include fragrances, astringents, moisturizers, sunscreens, skin cleansers, hair care items, deodorants / antiperspirants, colored cosmetics, hair cosmetics, and nail cosmetics.
Most people experience few problems from these products. Dermatologists estimate that problems arise in only .021% of all people (about 1 in 5,000).
However, problems can arise either with the first few applications, or after years of use. Most people know which product is causing the problem. Severe, chronic reactions may require the skills a dermatologist. This page will help to identify possible product related problems and suggest solutions.
What are the possible problems associated with the use of cosmetics and skin care products?
Reactions to skin care products depend on the condition of the skin and the immune system. Uninjured skin is an excellent the barrier to most substance found in cosmetics and skin care products. If skin is over dry on injured, openings make that barrier less protective. This is the most common setting for problems related to the use of skin care or cosmetic products, which can be a simple irritation or a true allergy.
What is irritant contact dermatitis?
Burning, stinging, itching, and redness may be signs that a product is irritating the skin. Bath soap, detergents, antiperspirants, eye cosmetics, moisturizers, permanent hair-waving solutions, and shampoos are the most common skin irritants. Even water can irritate very dry skin. This is the most common problem seen with cosmetics and skin care products.
What is allergic contact dermatitis?
Some people are allergic to a specific ingredient or ingredients in a product. Symptoms include redness, swelling, itching, and fluid-filled blisters. People will usually react whenever they are exposed to the ingredient, although it could take up to several days for the symptoms to appear.
What are some of the ingredients that cause allergic reactions?
Fragrances and preservatives, ingredients commonly found in skin care products and cosmetic, cause most skin problems.
Fragrances – Fragrances cause more allergic contact dermatitis than any other ingredient. More than 5,000 different fragrances are used in cosmetics and skin care products. Hypoallergenic fragrances have been developed to minimize the problem.
Remember that a product labeled “unscented” may in fact contain a fragrance to mask other chemical odors. A product must be marked “fragrance-free” or “without perfume” to indicate nothing has been added to make it smell good. Some fragrance reactions occur only when the skin is exposed to sunlight.
Preservatives – Preservatives in cosmetics and skin care products are the second most common cause of skin reactions. They prevent bacterial and fungal growth that can cause skin infections, and protect products from oxygen and light damage. Cosmetics that contain water must include some type of preservative. Consumers who react to one preservative will not necessarily react to others. Examples of preservatives include paraben, imidazolidinyl urea, Quaternium – 15, DMDM hydantoin, phenoxyethanol, methylchloroisothiazolinone, and formaldehyde.
What are skin care products?
Skin care products are designed to maintain healthy skin. They include astringents, moisturizers, and sunscreens.
Astringents – Astringents remove oils and soap residue from the skin. They are generally drying and may contain water, alcohol, propylene glycol, witch hazel, or salicylic acid. Individuals with dry, sensitive, or irritated skin may experience itching, burning, or tingling following their use.
Moisturizers – Dry skin develops cracks and fine wrinkles, losing effectiveness as a barrier, and causing pain and itching.
Moisturizers prevent water loss by layering oily substance over the skin to keep water in or by attracting water to the outer skin layer from the inner skin layer. Substances that stop water loss include petrolatum, mineral oil, lanolin, and silicone. Substances that attract water to the skin include glycerine, propylene glycol, proteins, and some vitamins. People may be allergic to any of these.
Sunscreens – Sunscreens contain chemicals that absorb, reflect, or scatter light. Light-absorbing chemicals include the PABA esters, avobenzone, and the cinnamates. People can sometimes be allergic to these ingredients. Physical sunscreens contain fine powders of zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. There are no known allergies to physical sunscreens.
What are personal care products?
Personal care products that help keep skin and hair clean and fresh smelling include skin cleaners, shampoos, conditioners, and deodorants / antiperspirants.
Skin Cleaners – Soaps, detergents, and bubble baths remove dirt, body oils, and bacteria, while preventing odour and infection. Heavy use of these products can over dry the skin, causing flaking, itching, and irritation. People with dry skin should choose a mild cleanser, shower with cool water, minimize water contact, and apply a moisturizer immediately after bathing.
Soaps come in several different varieties. Deodorant soaps use an antibacterial agent to eliminate odours, but may be irritating. Beauty bar soaps are generally less drying and irritating.
Shampoos – Shampoos remove dirt and oils from the scalp and leave the hair soft and shiny. Allergic reactions to shampoos are uncommon since their contact with the skin is brief, but they can irritate and dry the skin when rinsed over the body.
There are several types of shampoos: mild baby shampoos don’t irritate the eyes; conditioning shampoos cleans lightly and leave hair soft; shampoos for oily hair removes oil; and shampoos for damaged hair are pH-adjusted to prevent more damage.
Conditioners – Conditioners are sometimes applied after shampoos to make hair shiny, easier to comb and style, and more manageable. They are not a common source of skin reactions.
Deodorants and Antiperspirants – Deodorants kill bacteria and leave a pleasant smell. Antiperspirants prevent sweating. The fragrance in deodorants and the aluminium salts in antiperspirants rarely cause problems. Skin irritation can occur if these products are used on already irritated skin, right after shaving, or spread too widely around the armpit.
What are colored cosmetics?
Colored cosmetics are applied to the face, eyes, and lips to beautify and adorn the body.
Facial Cosmetics – Facial cosmetics, “make-up” are used to color the face. It is important to select make-up carefully since it remains in contact with the skin for a long time. Ideally, make-up should be hypoallergenic, noncomedogenic, and nonacnegenic – meaning it producesfewer allergies and wont plug pores or cause acne. Look for cosmetics with sunscreen which will help prevent skin cancer and wrinkles.
Eye Cosmetics – Eyelids, the most sensitive skin on the body, need to be treated with care. Eye cosmetics include eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara. Lighter colored, matte-finish powered eye shadows are less irritating. Scrubbing or vigorous rubbing to remove eye cosmetics may irritate eyelids. Water soluble (or washable) eye cosmetics are easier to remove. Remember that other irritating and allergenic substances can be introduced to the eye area by the fingers.
Eye cosmetics should never be shared and should be replaced every three to four months because of possible bacterial contamination.
Lip Cosmetics – Lip cosmetics, lipsticks, and lip balms, moisturize dry, cracked lips and provide sun protection. Some long-wearing lip stains have been linked to allergic contact dermatitis.
What are hair cosmetics?
The hair’s appearance can be altered by changing its color through dyeing, or through dyeing, or its shape by permanent waving.
Dyes – Temporary hair dyes wash out after one shampoo. Gradual hair dyes produce a color change over a two to three week period. These dyes generally don’t cause problems. Semi-permanent hair dyes that wash out after four to six shampoos, and permanent hair dyes that don’t wash out, can cause allergic reactions. These products should be tested on a small area of skin behind the ear or inside the elbow for 24hours before using.
Permanent hair dyes make hair lighter or darker. Ammonium persulfate, sometimes used to lighten hair, can cause contact dermatitis in some individuals. It can also cause an immediate allergic reaction of hives and wheezing.
Permanent Waving – “Permanents” make straight hair curly. A perm solution breaks the chemical bonds in straight hair to reform them in a curled position. The process can damage the hair. Hair should not be permed more often than every three months. If the perming solution is left on too long, is too strong, or is applied to hair already damaged by dyes, bleaches, recent permanents, the hair could break. Scalp irritation may also occur.
What are nail cosmetics?
Nail cosmetics are used to color nails, increase nail strength, or to artificially add nail length.
Polishes – Nail polishes can cause allergic contact dermatitis. A person allergic to nail polish may develop a rash on the fingers, or eyelids, face, and neck – places the nail polish may have touched while it was drying. People with nail polish allergies can try hypoallergenic varieties that are formaldehyde free.
Cuticles prevent infection and protect nail forming cells and should not be cut or removed.
Artificial Nails – The illusion of long nails can be created with plastic nails that cover the entire nail or nail tips. These artificial nails attach with glue that may contain methacrylate, a know allergen. Methacrylate-free glues may cause the underlying nail to peel and crack. Nail repair kits also use these glues.
Sculptured Nails – Long-term use of sculptured nails, custom-made to fit permanently over natural nails, can cause severe and painful reactions, including infection of the skin around the nail, loosening or loss of nails, and dermatitis.
Women who have worn artificial or sculptured nails for a long time may notice their real nails are thin, dull, and brittle. Dermatologists recommend that regular artificial nail users take them off every three months to allow natural nails to rest.
What are cosmeceuticals?
Cosmeceuticals are skin care products designed to go beyond strictly coloring and adoring the skin. These products actually improve the function of the skin and may be helpful in preventing premature aging. Examples of these substances are alpha hydroxyl acids, such as glycolic acid, beta hydroxyl acid, and salicylic acid. These hydroxyl acids increase skin exfoliation (the removal of dead skin cells) making aging skin appear smoother and feel softer. Some vitamins, such as vitamin A (retinal), improve the appearance of aging skin by making the skin function better. Dermatologists know how to use these new cosmeceuticals ingredients and can customize skin care routine for their patients to achieve healthy looking skin.
Summary
Cosmetics and skin care products are part of grooming and daily hygiene. Problems rarely develop from the use of these products. If a problem is suspected, your dermatologist may suggest patch testing to help determine if an allergy to ingredients in these products exists. Your dermatologist can also answer your questions and provide additional information on how to use cosmetics and skin care products safely.
We apologize for not showing any photos here for ethical reasons. You may refer to the following website for before and after photos: www.aad.org
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