The Facts About Allergy

S the facts about allergy thefactsabout.co.uk The Cosmetic, Toiletry & Perfumery Association » What is allergy? pollen An allergy is the response of the body's immune system to normally harmless substances. dust mite nickel You can become allergie to almost anything - from naturally occurring substances to man-made ones The immune system is the body's organs and processes that provide resistance to infections and toxins food (e.g. fruit & nuts) Whilst in most people these substances pose no problem, in allergic people the immune system identifies them as a threat and produces an unexpected response. These substances are known as allergens. Some allergies are quite common and will affect i in 3 at some point in their lives. 12% nickel allergy Some allergies 1-5% 15-20% are more common food allergies hay fever than others. » How does it work? Genes are what makes Everyone is different – what you will become allergic to is determined by your genes. Some people may never develop an allergy. you you - from eye colour, to blood type Allergic reactions cannot occur after the first or a single exposure. The immune system has a memory. It has to have met the allergen before and classed it as harmful to recognise it again and react. Allergies can build up over time in people who have the | potential to become allergic to a substance. After a number of exposures to an allergen, a threshold will be reached which will result in an allergic reaction. It's like a glass of water, once full, adding more will make the glass overflow. SUSPECT SUSPECT SUSPECT There are different types of allergic reactions. Some are delayed and will appear in the area of contact after 24-72 hour Some are immediate Thrs » What about ingredients in cosmetic products? People can even be allergic to commonly used products. It's not that ingredients in these are unsafe - it's the way the body reacts to them can differ from person to person. The process of determining the safety and composition of a product is rigorous and great care is taken to constantly re-assess the science behind it. This means a team of scientists will be involved ensuring the latest seientific knowledge and safety evaluation techniques are used. It can take many years to bring a product to market. Dr Chris Flower Dr Emma Meredith Dirvctor-General, CTPA Chartered Biologist & Toxicologist Director of Science, CTPA Pharmacist The number of reactions to Although rare, reactions to fragrances sometimes occur. All cosmetics that contain fragrances will be labelled 'parfum' in the ingredients list. permanent hair dyes e.g. para-phenylenediamine (PPD) is very low. These dyes are used because they are the best way to achieve permanent hair colour and the only way of colouring grey hair. They are safe to use when instructions are followed, including an Allergy Alert Test. There is a small pool of effective preservatives that are allowed to be used in cosmetics. They are needed to keep products bug-free, but unfortunately some people may be allergic to one or more of them. Only a few have the rare quality of being able to work across a variety of products in order to keep ther microorganism-free without changing the formulation which creates the look, feel and smell. eand It's like making a cake; you need to choose the right ingredients in the right quantities to make sure your cake has the right smell, texture and taste. It's very difficult to substitute an ingredient without changing the look, feel or effectiveness. » Think you've had an allergic reaction to a product? Go and see your GP for further information Once the allergen has been identified, you will be able to avoid it by checking the ingredients list Ingredients are listed with the same names across Euro Contact the manufacturer they will be able to advise you Always perform an Allergy Alert Test every time you colour your hair See below How to do an Allergy Alert Test when colouring your hair Look for hrs red swollen hot itching painful under 2% Under 2% of the population has the potential to become allergic to ingredients in hair colorants. But as allergies may develop over time, an Allergy Alert Test should be carried out each time you colour your hair. You DO NOT peed to buya second pack to do the Allergy Alert Test. Just re-close the packs after taking out a small amount mixed or not as instructed. Always read and follow the manufacturer's Apply a small amount misture behind Wait . hair du s as reactions t of t your ear or in the inner elbow as instructed. s are 'delayed contact allergies' so can take this long to show up. If you react to the Allergy Alert Test DO NOT go on to colour your hair. instructions found in the pack. nhf or mere information on allergy visit: ctpa national Follow us on Twitter: @TheCTPA haroressen federation The Cosmetic Toiletry & Perfumery Association