Skincare containing food may trigger allergies

New research claims that people with certain skin conditions may need to avoid food-containing skincare products if they wish to avoid developing an allergic reaction in the future. 

Writing in a research letter addressed to the online library Wiley, the authors of the study stated that such skincare products are “commonly promoted as a safer and more ‘natural’ way of managing a variety of skin conditions”, adding that in certain countries like Australia (where the research took place), “these are widely available for unprescribed purchase”.

The research, now published in the Clinical & Experimental Allergy journal, suggests these products may not be suitable for those with inflammatory skin conditions and recommends such individuals avoid using skincare products that contain food products, in particular goat’s milk. 

The researchers conducted an experiment on seven patients with inflammatory skin conditions who experienced anaphylaxis – a serious allergic reaction – after ingesting goat’s or sheep’s milk or cheese products. All the patients had a history of using skin products containing goat’s milk to treat their inflammatory skin conditions prior to the onset of their allergic reaction.  

The competitive inhibition experiments suggest that the skincare products led to transcutaneous sensitisation and goat milk allergy.

“Marketing of skin products derived from goat’s milk is extensive and targeted to patients with ‘sensitive skin’ who commonly have underlying inflammatory skin conditions,” the authors wrote. “Our findings provide novel evidence of the origins of adult-onset milk allergy and adds to the growing body of evidence that use of foodstuffs as therapy for inflammatory skin conditions can lead to the development of new food allergies.”