Prevalence of major food allergens in skincare products for atopic dermatitis

Introduction:
Food allergy is a common concomitant disease in patients with atopic dermatitis. Sensitisation and subsequent development of food allergy might result from the application of skincare products containing food allergens, particularly when the skin barrier is impaired and inflamed. Emollients are the mainstay of the management of atopic dermatitis; however, the prevalence of food allergens in skincare products used for atopic dermatitis is unknown.

Aim:
To analyse the prevalence of major food allergens in skincare products for atopic dermatitis.

Material and methods:
Three major online cosmetic retailers in Poland were screened for atopic skincare products. The major food allergens under the mandatory allergen labelling regulation of the European Union were searched for using the INCI nomenclature of cosmetics ingredients.

Results:
We screened 396 skincare products, out of which 127 (32.1%) products contained at least one derivative of a major food allergen. The most common allergens were almonds, macadamia nuts, soya and cereals, followed by sesame and milk. There was no significant difference in the presence of food derivatives between leave-on and rinse-off skincare products, as well as between those intended for use by infants and children, and adults only.

Conclusions:
Our analysis revealed that major food allergens are prevalent in skincare products for eczema. Applying skincare products containing food derivatives on affected and inflamed skin can promote percutaneous sensitisation. Therefore, clinicians and patients with atopic dermatitis must be careful of products used for treating eczema that may contain derivatives of a major food allergen.