Mascara Allergy

Mascara allergy is a protective reaction of the body to a poor-quality cosmetic product due to intolerance to at least one of its components. About 60% of the fair sex use mascara at least once a day, and 40% of women only occasionally use this cosmetic product. But few people know that there may be an allergy to mascara. It occurs due to ignorance and improperly chosen cosmetics. In this article, we will learn how to recognize symptoms and carry out treatment.

About pathology

An allergic reaction to mascara is a fairly common occurrence. It is believed that most cosmetics, especially mascaras, are made from artificial and not high-quality materials that can adversely affect sensitive skin.

Causes of occurrence

An allergy to mascara appears as a reaction to the product itself or even to one of the ingredients in its composition. According to statistics, intolerance to cosmetics may be the result of the influence of the following points:

• Misuse. Wanting to thoroughly make up all the cilia of the girl, they often touch the mucous membrane of the eyes. With this behavior, even the highest quality products from well-known companies can cause allergies.
• Low quality mascara. Before buying, ideally, you need to find product reviews and a description of the ingredients that make up the carcass.
• Violation of storage conditions for cosmetics. The tube with mascara should be tightly closed after use. Otherwise, lumps begin to form, which can enhance the irritating effect.
• Use of carcasses with an expired shelf life. Before purchasing cosmetics should be well checked.
• Allergists do not recommend buying small test bottles in stores that are opened or used as a tester.

Possible allergens

In such cosmetics in large quantities contain harmful substances. Ingredients that can contribute to the development of mascara allergy:

• Aluminum powder (Aluminum Powder) - a pigment that allows you to give cosmetics a certain shade.
• Titanium Dioxide is a tinting pigment that can absorb ultraviolet rays. Promotes the formation of cancerous tumors, allergies, irritation on the skin around the eyes and even the lungs.
• Propylparaben (Propylparaben) and methylparaben (Methylparaben) are popular preservatives.
• Silicone (Silica) - a tool that does not allow cosmetics to harden quickly. May contribute to the development of allergies and intoxication.

Rules for the selection and use of mascara

Basic rules for the selection and use of cosmetics:

• The price of mascara should be quite high. Choose products that do not contain a poisonous preservative, harmful chemical compounds, and even animal fats.
• Before applying the mascara to the eyelashes, be sure to conduct an allergy test. To do this, apply a little makeup on the palm and wait 10-15 minutes. If the skin does not turn red, then there is no allergy to mascara.
• The presence of lumps and friability of the structure indicates a second-class product.
• Beware of pungent cosmetics.
• Renew mascara every three months.
• Do not give your cosmetics to strangers. This will exclude the ingress and development of pathogenic microflora on the mucous membrane of the eye.

How to confirm the diagnosis?

Only after a visual examination of the patient the diagnosis is not determined. To confirm suspicions, you should consult an allergist and an ophthalmologist. The second specialist will determine the degree of the immune response, and the first doctor will try to determine its root cause.

An informative method of research, during which a specific allergen (irritant) is determined, which causes an immune response, is considered an allergy test. You can resort to it only at a time when there is no vivid symptomatology of mascara allergy, a photo of the manifestations of which can be found on specialized resources. Skin tests can also exclude other allergens that can cause severe negative reactions of the body.

Such a study involves applying several types of irritating substances in the form of notches to the skin at once. Only in laboratory conditions should such analyzes be carried out. 20 minutes after applying “scratches” the results of the study are evaluated. Signs of intolerance to irritants: itching, redness, rash around one or more control sites.

Determination of the level of immunoglobulin E

A special study - a blood test to determine the immunoglobulin E - allows you to determine the level of immunoglobulins in biological material. If the test results are too high, this only confirms the fact that an allergic response is formed in the body. An increase in the concentration of the substance indicates a pronounced pathology.

The test for the determination of immunoglobulin E also reveals the effect of specific allergens (irritants). A similar test is allowed to be carried out during the active course of allergies. The big advantage of this study is that it does not require close contact of the patient with a possible allergen.

Mascara Allergy Symptoms

There are a number of mascara allergy symptoms that can occur immediately after applying cosmetics or only after a few hours:

• Itching in the eyes.
• Sore throat.
• Redness of the eye proteins.
• Burning and tingling in the eyes.
• Tearing.

After the first symptoms of mascara allergy, photophobia and severe swelling of the eyelids may appear. Such signs occur both in one eye and in both. With severe allergies, acute purulent inflammation of the eyelash hair sac, conjunctivitis or even contact dermatitis appears.

Contact dermatitis and conjunctivitis occur when allergens (mascara components) come into direct contact with the skin of the eyelids and irritate it. After that, a thin wet film “covers” the entire surface of the eyes.

If the allergic reaction is short-term and is expressed only at the time of using the cosmetic product, it is likely that if the problem is not fixed, the cilia will quickly fall out. Allergy-free mascara is most often the products of well-known brands, which contain a minimal amount of allergens.

Safety regulations

In order for mascara to fulfill its main task - to be an ornament for your eyes, and not cause a lot of problems, it is important to follow a few simple recommendations:

• you need to store the cosmetic product in a dark and cool place;
• open tube with mascara must be tightly closed after use;
• not the best place to store cosmetics - a bathroom with moist and often hot air;
• when going to bed, always cleanse the skin of the face - the remains of the mascara on the eyelashes, drying up, then crumbling, get on the mucous surface of the eyes, provoke inflammation.

Treatment

To get rid of an allergy to mascara, you should neutralize the negative side effect. For this, immediately after the detection of allergy symptoms, it is worth rinsing your eyes quickly. This must be done initially with a cotton pad, which is wetted in micellar water, and then rinse your eyes well with warm water to completely remove any makeup residue.

If signs of allergy persist, periodically rinse to flush any mascara from your eyes. After thorough skin cleaning, it is important to take restorative measures:

1. An allergist can prescribe antihistamines in the form of tablets and less commonly antibiotics. This neutralizes the effect of the infection, which was introduced into the body through the mucous membrane of the eyes. Citrine and Suprastin are considered popular anti-carcass allergy medicines.
2. The skin of the eyelids must be carefully anointed with anti-inflammatory ointment. To do this, you can use "Bepanten" or "Panthenol" to restore the delicate tissue of the skin around the eyes.
3. In addition to taking pills, treatment for mascara allergy includes home remedies for skin restoration. To do this, dry pharmacy chamomile is brewed with boiling water. Keep the compress in front of your eyes for 10 minutes up to 5 times a day.
4. Do not recommend applying mascara to the eyelashes until the allergy symptoms completely disappear, because you can aggravate an allergic reaction. In addition, such actions will lead to the formation of rashes and inflammation on the entire skin of the face.

Does the reaction depend on the type of skin

One of the main causes of an allergic reaction is sensitive skin. Dry and dehydrated skin can not withstand the toxic components contained in mascara.

But still, despite the fact that the delicate skin is more susceptible to an allergic reaction, eyelid irritation can occur in virtually any person. The frequency of manifestations of such reactions is additionally influenced by seasonal and age-related changes in the skin of a woman, improper use of cosmetics, expired or low-quality products.