Red skin, irritation, itching and swelling are the main symptoms of dermatitis, an inflammation of the skin that can have several causes and triggers. In the most serious cases, the skin even reaches desquamation, forming blisters and scabs.
The most common forms have an irritant or allergic origin and often correspond to a reaction to external factors; they can be temporary or persistent, depending on the causes.
In an interview, Professor Antonio Costanzo, Head of the Humanitas Dermatology Unit, spoke about skin allergies and dermatitis, recalling that “skin allergies are on a marked increase: French estimates of the Permanent Observatory of Allergies, estimate the number of new cases each year at 17,500,” explained the professor.
Allergies and irritations: daily risks
Every day, in our daily lives, from soap for washing to the fabrics of the clothes we wear, to the various objects we handle, we come into contact with thousands of potential allergens: “The potential allergenic substances are endless. Moreover, it is not only the single “allergenic” substance that causes the reaction – explained Costanzo – but it also depends on the predisposition of the immune system of those who come into contact with it. Consequently, even a substance that is not theoretically “allergenic” becomes so, if the host is predisposed to develop an allergy towards it”.
Allergens: where the triggering factors are hidden
“Both cosmetics and detergents and some textiles may contain allergenic or irritating substances. Laundry detergents, for example, can induce sensitization because they remain in the fabric and are released onto the skin when you wear the garment,” the professor explained.
In particular, it is mainly synthetic garments that need most attention, but also dyes used to color natural fibers can release allergenic substances. In cosmetics, however, attention to parabens, preservatives, dyes and synthetic surfactants, as well as of course nickel,” concludes the professor.
Allergen free: attention to labels
In many products, companies indicate on labels and packaging the words “Dermatologically Tested” or “Allergen Free”. How reliable are they?
According to Prof. Costanzo “the definition ‘free of allergens’ is not very correct, it would be better to say ‘free of major allergens’ because as mentioned before, many reactions also depend on individual sensitivities”; this is also true for the ‘dermatologically tested’: “it is not certain that a person is not allergic to a substance contained in that product”, concluded the professor.
