A Multicultural Beauty reader developed an itchy rash on her chest. She thought it was a product that she used on her legs without incident.  She wonders, is it possible that one area of skin can react to a product, while another area doesn't?  Is this really an allergic response?

“If someone truly has an allergic contact dermatitis, he or she would develop the same allergic response at all sites of application of the product,” says Dr. Michael Shapiro, Medical Director and Founder of Vanguard Dermatology.

“However, different skin areas have different degrees of thickness, and this may alter the response seen.  Thicker skin on the legs may show little or no signs of allergy while thinner skin on the chest may show a brisk allergic reaction.  A good example of this is poison ivy.  One of the reasons people continue to break out long after the exposure to the poison ivy plant occurred is because certain areas of skin that were exposed were thicker, and so the rash took longer to appear.  Having said all of this, the rash the reader is experiencing may not be a true allergy.  Perhaps the product clogged her pores on the chest, producing a heat rash such as miliaria, which was not seen when the same product was applied to the legs.”

What should you do if you have a reaction to a skin care product?  

First, stop using the product.   Then look at the ingredients list.  “If the person is lucky, there are not a huge number of ingredients.  In this case, in the future the person could be mindful to stay away from the product ingredients," Dr.

Shapiro advises.  "In terms of skin care, they can apply soothing products to affected areas, such as calamine lotion, and Gold Bond and Sarna, which contain menthol and is very soothing.  Over the counter topical steroids such as Cortizone 10 or stronger prescription topical steroids can also be very helpful to decrease the inflammation.  Finally, taking an oatmeal bath is helpful for many itchy skin conditions. These pre-packaged baths are available in most pharmacies.”

Are there products that one should take when there is a skin reaction?

"Anti-histamines such as Benadryl, Allegra and Zyrtec are helpful.  Anti-histamines can reduce the itch symptoms," says Dr. Shapiro.  

"For more severe itch, oral prescription agents such as hydroxyzine are prescribed.  The problem with many of these is that they can be sedating, so individuals need to be careful to avoid driving or handling machinery after taking these medications."

Beauty Tips for Allergy Sufferers

Is it also possible that the skin will react to a product one day and then will be fine on another day?

"If a person has an allergy to a product, they really should react to the product whenever it is applied to the skin.  However, if the allergy is not severe, sometimes the reaction can be more subtle and easy to miss.  In addition, the degree to which the reaction is visible depends on the condition of the skin at the time of application.  Often, application of an allergen to dry skin may result in a more brisk response than application of the same product to skin that has been well hydrated."

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