These conditions can be caused by any number
of irritants - and the obvious first course of action is to try to avoid them.
This isn’t always easy if the substance causing your allergy, the allergen,
is an essential part of your job - the chemicals in hair dye used by hairdressers,
for example - but you may find that wearing cotton-lined protective gloves will
give you a barrier against the chemicals and any possible interaction from the
latex in normal gloves. Not many of you will know that it’s not only the latex
in rubber gloves that can cause skin problems. The milk protein, casein, is
another ingredient that may be the trigger of your dermatitis, so you may have
to use special plastic gloves, which you’ll find in good hardware stores.
A good hi-potency multinutrient formula (a strong multivitamin) taken daily is useful to assist in correcting dietary deficiencies caused by a poor or restricted diet.
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High potency formula 1 to 2 times per day |
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3gm to 6gm per day or Borage oil 1gm to 3gm per day |
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3gm to 6gm per day |
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1 capsule after each meal or 250gm of Bio or BA yoghurt |
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500iu per day |
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30mg 1 to 2 times per day to start - decrease as condition improves |
There are many herbs that can help, alternatively try to find a combination of these herbs in tablet or liquid form and take it with meals.
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500mg 3 times per day |
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As pills or used in cooking - this can help stimulate thhe production of antihistamines which fight the allergic response |
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500mg 3 times per day |
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500mg 3 times per day |
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500mg 3 times per day |
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500mg 3 times per day |
The following herbs can help used as topical skin preparations:
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or the sap squeezed from an Aloe vera plant, which grows very easily as a houseplant in the Northern hemisphere |
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whizzed in a liquidiser and mixed with an equal amount of witch-hazel |
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As a cream |
The following homeopathic remedies might also bring relief, but if you have a long-term problem, it’s best to see a homeopath or a GP trained in homoeopathy before trying these treatments with over-the-counter remedies.
Aromatherapy oils which may help as creams or bath additives include:
Tea Tree oil is a very effective antiviral and antifungal. You could also add a few drops to the conditioning rinse in your washing to stop the spread of any infection.
Food - particularly food products containing artificial additives - can cause skin eruptions. The following foods may also cause allergic reactions resulting in skin problems.
Handling food can also be a problem for anyone working in catering. Garlic, raw Fish and mangoes are the most common culprits.
It is also important to drink at least 2 litres of water every day to help flush toxins out of the body.
Here’s one old-fashioned remedy that really works: pour 1 ½ pints of boiling water over 2lbs of stoned prunes and a few pieces of bruised Liquorice stick. Cover and leave overnight. Remove the Liquorice, pour off the liquid and puree the prunes. Keep in the fridge and have 2 dessertspoons with breakfast and two with a warm drink at bedtime.
It’s best to use non-biological washing powder, wear gloves when you’re washing up and always use separate towels and face cloths from the rest of the family to avoid the risk of them getting it too.
Nickel - Nickel is another frequent cause of these conditions. If you get
belly-button dermatitis - and it’s not just Levi’s, any make of jeans, fatigues
or other trousers with metal studs can cause it - you may find that painting
the inside of the waist stud with nail varnish helps, but you need to remove
it with nail varnish remover as soon as it starts to crack, leave the nail varnish
remover to evaporate, then reapply. That’s not the end of the story, however.
Some people have an allergic reaction to toluene, a chemical used in nail varnish,
which can also cause dermatitis on the fingers. If you think your belly button
or finger dermatitis is caused by toluene, look at the labels before you buy
any nail varnish and avoid those containing toluene.
Nickel is also used in earrings and can cause painful, bloody and unsightly
inflammations, so buy earrings that are specially made for sensitive ears -
you can get them in any jewellery shop or department store these days. The same
problem can occur with any other sort of body piercing - in the navel, nose,
eyebrows or other funny places people choose to adorn their bodies - and if
you wear costume jewellery. It’s worth remembering that recent studies show
that one woman in four and one man in twenty now has uncomfortable contact dermatitis
as a result of nickel allergy.
A less common form of this type of allergy is from money. Coins also contain
nickel and supermarket checkout operators and bank cashiers may occasionally
get contact dermatitis just by doing their job.
Some foods contain minute amounts of nickel, too. If you’re very sensitive to
this mineral it may be worth avoiding the following foods during an attack:
shellfish, salmon, herrings,canned fruits and vegetables, all beans, peas,
lentils, peanuts and soya products, Leeks, lettuce, Pineapples, prunes, raspberries,
rhubarb and figs, Oats and wholemeal flour, tea from dispensers, cocoa and chocolate,
most nuts and nut products.
All forms of Eczema and dermatitis will be relieved by this advice, but there’s a specific natural remedy, which is very effective for varicose ulcers:
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