Products wick, straightening, bleaching … and can handle Barbers inhaling various chemicals.Many can cause skin allergies but also respiratory. The kings of scissors have any reasons to get white hair? The point with Doctissimo.

Although much of allergies and occupational asthma remains unknown, several risk occupations have been identified. -Among them, the salon professionals are not spared.

1. The six occupations most exposed

According to the National Observatory of asthma professionnels1 Six occupations are well over half of cases of occupational asthma: bakers, health professions, painters, wood workers, cleaners and hairdressers.

The hair salons are so allergic to places that are not devoid of risks. Nearly 8% of occupational asthma concern hairdressers and 18% when considering only women. This proportion is explained by the large number of chemicals, irritants or allergens in shampoos, perms, hair coloring products (persulfates), tools, metal (nickel), hair straightening products, fixatives, dyes … How to identify The main culprits in this “huge chemical soup”? A large study italienne2 finally brings some answers.

2. Persulfates, mother of all allergies?

The Italian doctors have identified 47 consult their hairdressers from allergy unit and pulmonary between 1996 and 2004. In each, testing and diagnosis of asthma research offending allergens were performed. Aged an average of 23 years (17-52 years), the vast majority were women (43 out of 47). More than half were diagnosed as victims of occupational asthma due to ammonium persulphate in 21 of them to dye and latex twice once. Among those with asthma, 13 also suffered from an occupational rhinitis, mainly due to persulphate still there. Contained in many cosmetics, these products are widely used in powder form used for bleaching. Allergies related skin near a hairdresser in four.

Faced with persulphate, the first symptoms of asthma intervene only several years after the first exposure. The latency period (such period of awareness) and would require prolonged exposure, possibly for years.

The increase in asthma and allergic diseases in western countries is not unrelated to our change of lifestyle.  Explanations with Prof. Gabrielle Pauli CHU Strasbourg.

The boom of allergies in Western societies there is the downside of our comfort?

1. Indoor allergens and habitat: the dangerous liaisons

Prof. Pauli1 and recalls “Several studies have shown an increased prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases such as rhinitis and eczema in many countries. The temperature rise inside the housing , decreased ventilation and the increased presence of pets have probably resulted in higher exposure to the domestic environment pneumoallergènes. According to the allergist, exposure to these allergens would have consequences for people genetically predisposed. It would be a risk factor for sensitization and, in some cases, the onset of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and asthma.

Biological pollution of the habitat and include mites, animal allergens, molds and those more rare as the ficus or food for fish. For each of these allergens, indoor environment affects via the humidity, lack of ventilation, the presence of animals or cockroaches, overcrowding in housing or poor hygiene. The eviction of allergens in the indoor environment can improve the lives of patients. An environmental consultant can play a part in this great role2.

2. Significant geographic disparities

But one place to another, the frequency of allergies vary greatly. Sensitization to cockroaches are low in France compared to the United States. In the Nordic countries, the mites are more difficult to grow but the reactions to pets are in the foreground.

The main outdoor allergens include mold and pollen in the foreground grasses.To learn more about the geographical and seasonal variations, discover our “Beware allergens!”

Finally in the workplace, many irritants, allergens or chemicals are often factors of occupational asthma or rhinitis. National Observatory have identified the main flour, isocyanates (used in the manufacture of plastics), latex, or certain disinfectants products used in the middle of the salon.

3. Deleterious or protective factors

Various studies have highlighted that asthma and allergic diseases are higher in rich Western countries, high level of industrialization in the developing countries with large rural populations.The increase in diseases associated with atopy in children has been mainly attributed to a high level of air pollution, especially automobiles. Some household chemical pollutants (nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide and passive smoking) cause hypersensitivity allergens and lowering the threshold of response of those already sensitized.

Shuffle labels, forgetfulness emergency medicines … Teens with food allergies taking great risks with their health. At a time when love is often lost his head, kissing spirited can also be dangerous if they contain allergens. How to reconcile Allergy and adolescence?

Two studies presented at the 2006 convention of the American Association of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology suggest the particular situation facing teenagers with food allergies.

1. Teenagers take too many risks

The researchers enrolled 174 allergic aged 13-21 years: three quarters were allergic to peanuts, 82% had suffered an anaphylactic shock and 52% had even had at least three. Recall that anaphylactic shock are very serious allergic reactions, against which an injection of adrenaline should be done as soon as possible thanks to self-injection kits (Anahelp Anapen ® or ®). To learn how these teens manage this risk, U.S. researchers have asked to answer a questionnaire 1. And the answers are surprising:

• Only 74% of adrenaline constantly on them. If they are a large majority to embark on a journey (94%), they are only two out of three to have on them when they go to visit friends, one in two when wearing clothes stretch (51%) and even less when they are of Sport (43%);
• If three quarters all the time watching the food labels, 42% admit they eat anyway if they mention “may contain traces of allergens;
• Four in ten teenagers have not talked about their allergy to their friends, while 68% believe that educating their families would make their disease easier to live.

All these points underscore the importance of good educational therapy for a disease, which remains the main treatment Allergen avoidance of food.

2. The toothbrush does not remove allergens!

In November 2005, a teenager of 14 years died allergy after kissing her friend who had eaten peanut butter. Although the autopsy has since refuted this, the risk of “kiss allergic” do exist, although most do not end dramatique2.

More worrying still, a recent study proves that the allergens can remain in the mouth for many hours3. After eating two peanut butter sandwiches to ten individuals, the researchers analyzed saliva from ten volunteers before and after brushing teeth. Result: even the most conscientious brushing does not completely eliminate allergens. The allergens were missing in all sandwich lovers after four hours and a half, without even resorting to the toothbrush saving. According to researchers, and recommendations should include brushing, but also waiting for several hours before passionately kissing your friend (e) allergic.

To eat without mistake and avoid unpleasant surprises, (re) discover our dossier devoted entirely to food allergies. Many boards are waiting for you!

Food allergies continue to grow and become a real public health problem. Prevent their appearance, improve screening, treatment … scientific research is at the heart of the struggle.Many studies have also recently addressed this problem. Overview …

As for food allergies, research advance. The mechanisms are increasingly controlled and treatment are the same for …

1. Track lactose intolerance

“Dairy products are our friends for life!” said there was not so long ago, an advertisement. But do you know that many people can not drink a single glass of milk? They have what is called lactose intolerance: they lack the enzyme that helps digest the sugar found in milk. More precisely, they are no longer able to synthesize grow. If persons consume, they suffer from nausea, diarrhea or more serious problems.

But researchers have identified finlandais1 the genetic mutation causing the problem. They studied nine Finnish families and compared to German, the English, Italians, South Korea, the U.S. and French. And they have discovered two mutations closely linked to lactose intolerance.

This identification could develop a test to diagnose this problem easily. This intolerance affects a different number of people in different regions. Thus, virtually 100% of Asians can not tolerate milk, against only 5% of Europeans.

Researchers say this reflects the fact that the ancestor of man could not digest lactose. This capability would have appeared some ten thousand years, in populations practicing intensive farming and drinking milk from their pets. The “mutants” would be in reality the people who manage to digest milk in adulthood!

2. Allergic to food … beware of the makeup!

Allergy to peanuts is booming! The reason: the use of more and more important to peanuts in foods. But the food professionals are not the only ones to blame!The cosmetics are also involved!

According to researchers britanniques2, some skin creams containing peanut oil and increase the risk to develop an allergy to peanuts. The researchers reached this result by examining patterns of 14,000 children, of whom 50 showed allergies to peanuts. They also revealed a greater risk of cross reactivity with soybean: those who drank milk from this plant presented a risk 2.6 times important to be allergic to peanuts.

For parents of allergic children, the total eviction of the offending food is hard to live. It is replaced by a regime based on the tolerance of each child. Warning, this reintroduction should be supervised by an allergist. The research hopes to cure these allergies tomorrow by promoting tolerance gradually.

Congress met in Paris in late April1, allergists French discussed the limits of the “sacrosanct” strict elimination diet and research ways to address food allergies.

1. The limits of strict avoidance diets

For many years, the strict eviction food was the only way to prevent and treat food allergy.However, as allergists, this method has some limitations. ”The risk of accidental reintroduction, the careful examination of the composition of food … have a considerable impact on quality of life of the patient but also his family,” said Dr. Marie-Christine Castelain, allergist, chief of allergy Hospital St. Vincent de Paul in Lille 2.

Since 2006, a study française3 stressed this alteration of the quality of family and social life of the patient, plus a greater risk on re-entry incident, the appearance of food phobias and anxiety complicating the reintroduction of the food involved. ”We also know that a strict elimination diet does not help the healing – Some food allergies disappear naturally – and may even aggravate the allergy, facilitating the emergence of new sensitizations and lowering the threshold reactogenic initial dose from which the allergy occurs “we said Dr. Fabienne Rance, a pediatric allergist at the Children’s Hospital of CHU Toulouse4.

2. Food allergy: No reintroduction without consultation!

Does this mean an end with the elimination diet? ”We recently presented the end of the elimination diet as a scoop. Yet for several years, allergists recommend instead a scheme based on the initial tolerance of each patient,” we said Fabienne Rance.

Beware the reservations against the strict elimination diet does not mean that parents can reintroduce the allergen without control! Food allergies are among the purveyors of serious reactions (malaise, anaphylactic shock …). ”Food allergy is identified as part of a standardized diagnosis, which includes inter alia the definition of the dose at which the allergy occurs. It is usually around 1 gram but it varies from one individual to another, “says Dr. Fabienne Rance. It is from this dose that will define the allergist with parents and support the regime appropriate.

3. Healing tomorrow food allergies by desensitizing

If the controlled reintroduction is recommended not to aggravate food allergies, will there be tomorrow treated by desensitization? Today, desensitization also called specific immunotherapy is the only cure for allergy sufferers gradually habituating them to substances that cause allergic reactions in them. But this support is limited to bee venom allergy, wasp and some aeroallergens (mites, pollens from grasses, herbaceous and tree). ”Induction of tolerance should be limited to a search box. I repeat: do not parents play the sorcerer’s apprentice. Currently, several teams are currently working on this line of research with mixed results” we said Dr.Fabienne Rance.

A sublingual desensitization to cow’s milk is underway at several teams in France for children with persistent allergy to cow’s milk, with encouraging preliminary results. At the 2009 Congress of Clinical Investigation Circle in Biological and Food Allergy (CICBAA), Prof. Moneret-Vautrin has presented results on the efficacy and safety of a protocol of tolerance arachide4. In 2009, twenty patients were desensitized to peanuts, having presented many allergic reactions, especially breathing during the protocol (80%) but with few problems, however upon returning home (0, 7%) 5. ”Our team also works in Toulouse to desensitization via the sublingual route. But all these studies are preliminary at this time. While carrying a real hope, they will still take some time” moderates Dr. Fabienne Rance.

The advantage of this avenue of research and sliding strict avoidance diets to regimes based on the tolerance of each patient also imply certain constraints: the completion of the initial threshold of tolerance, acceptance of new modes of treatment, whereas one is in foreclosure for years rigorous (overcoming his fear of the return), the constraints related to the continuation of a regular dose of tolerance back home, the risks of these protocols support a severe reaction at home … There are many points that underscore the importance of a rigorous follow-allergic patients, in particular through the implementation of a therapeutic education of helping children and their parents better understand disease.

Approximately 2-3% of children under one year are allergic to cow’s milk, but this figure is largely underestimated.  Sometimes difficult to diagnose this disorder is the cause of many cases of eczema and gastroesophageal reflux.  How to overcome the problem? When should reintroduce milk? Overview.

Allergic problems explode in France. If the egg allergy is the most common, the most common food allergy among children under one year is that cow’s milk.

1. A difficult diagnosis

The problem with milk allergy is that it can have different manifestations, depending on the extent of the disorder. There may be immediate reactions (within two hours after ingestion of milk) with urticaria, projectile vomiting, angioedema and even anaphylactic shock in severe cases. But it may also occur forms delayed (after several hours), with digestive problems (colic, pain.), But also skin and respiratory disorders. Moreover, 40% of cases of gastroesophageal reflux in infants and an important part of eczema are due to the milk allergy.

Today, when a milk allergy is suspected, tools exist to confirm the diagnosis. In most allergies, we look for the presence of specific antibodies (IgE), evidence of immune system dysfunction. It passes through the skin tests (prick test). A blood test for IgE may also be achieved. But the milk, there are often delayed reactions, which do not depend on the same mechanism. In this case, the screening tool is the simplest patch-test: simply a way of blotting paper soaked in milk that is glued to the skin of babies. We leave it 48 hours, and we can verify the presence of a skin reaction.

2. Preventing allergies?

In newborn babies at risk, whose family has a history of allergy (milk or other allergens), it may be useful to prevention, to avoid awareness of the child. Some experts propose to remove peanuts during pregnancy (highly allergenic foods). This measure is not based on sound scientific evidence, but strong presumptions. And then remove the peanuts during pregnancy should not cause a lot of deficiencies. Then, it is advisable to feed the children exclusively breastfed for 4-6 months. In this case, it is again advised the mother to avoid peanuts. But if breastfeeding is not possible, there are a range of hypoallergenic milk can be offered (but they are more expensive and are not reimbursed.). Attention, soy formulas should be avoided in children during the first six months. With regard to dietary diversification, it should not occur before six months of age, and certain foods should not be introduced until some time: not before one year for eggs and fish, and not before 4-5 years for peanuts and nuts (and not cosmetic sweet almond either).

3. How to treat?

The only treatment for milk allergy is the elimination diet. It is based primarily on the use of hydrolyzed milk protein. For what causes the allergic reaction, it is certain milk proteins. But if they are cut into pieces, they become generally harmless. The problem is that these formulas are often very bitter (but the baby drinks them, because it tolerates them better than normal milk!). Therefore, there are also other soluble protein hydrolysates, casein, soy, hydrolyzed collagen (before it was beef, but with mad cow disease, it is pork today). For children who have problems with protein hydrolysates, it must cut them into pieces even smaller: the amino acids.Beware, it often takes some time between the introduction of the system of exclusion and the disappearance of allergic symptoms. The improvement does not happen overnight. It often takes two to three weeks between the formula change and the disappearance of digestive problems.

4. When reintroducing milk?

Good news for all parents of children allergic to milk, it is one of the disorders that usually disappears after the first year of life. It has virtually disappeared in all children before the age of 5 or 6 years. Parents can begin to consider reintroducing milk to nine months or a year. First step: monitoring the level of IgE. This ensures that the risk of allergic reaction is low. Except of course if it is a non IgE, associated with delayed allergy. In this case, the return will be a little blind (the patch-test does not determine the disappearance of the allergy). but under medical supervision: the doctor or nurse puts the milk on the skin, if nothing happens, it puts on the inside of the lip, and if nothing happens, it does taste a dairy product. If the reintroduction did not go well, you can try again three months later. If it goes wrong, we move to a period of six months, and if the result is always negative, it retries every year. Note, sometimes we have delayed reactions: the reintroduction goes well, then after one to two weeks, diarrhea or other manifestations appear. In this case, it will try again later. Similarly, some children will be able to eat yogurt daily. but no more! In this case, they must leave the dairy product until they can eat more.

Known allergy to peanuts for a relatively short time. This food contains amino acids allergenic in some people, especially children.

Its symptoms can be severe. They are also likely to appear in the early overs of peanuts.

1. Symptoms

Food allergy can manifest as gastrointestinal symptoms: diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

Skin symptoms may also occur. These are first outbreaks of hives that can result in a true state of anaphylactic shock. The child must be treated urgently.

2. Candidates Allergy

it seems that the number of susceptible double every ten years. The concept of allergy family is important.

The average age of first symptoms decreased gradually. Currently, he is less than 24 months.

The proliferation of food preparations containing peanut children complicates the diagnosis.it seems that the number of susceptible double every ten years. The concept of allergy family is important.

The average age of first symptoms decreased gradually. Currently, he is less than 24 months.

The proliferation of food preparations containing peanut children complicates the diagnosis.

3. Allergy is final?

It’s possible. Caution should be exercised over the long term.

4. Lower risk factors are:

• The diagnosis before the age of 5 years;
• Allergy isolated
• A family non-allergic.

5. Some elements of prevention:

• Knowledge of family plot;
• No consumption of peanuts by pregnant women;
• No use of creams with peanut oil;
• Beware of sweet almond oil in the baby;
• Beware of vitamins in oil;
• Try to identify the arach
• ide in food products.

6. What to do in case of food allergy?

The peanut allergy is confirmed by the test at the doctor’s office. It involves completely avoid foods containing them, including peanuts. We must verify the composition of small pots.Thereafter, a gradual reintroduction may be attempted on doctor’s advice after a deferral period of 2 years or more.

Can you be allergic to kissing? The question may seem absurd … Yet, the case would not be as rare as expected. But more than the act of affection or love, the culprits are drug or food allergens transmitted through saliva or lips.

Two teams of researchers Anglo-Saxon are interested allergies following kisses love or friendship. Most often, the culprits are food allergens.

1. A kiss to the nuts!

Foods containing peanuts and nuts are often the cause of severe or fatal allergic reactions. The accidental ingestions are fairly common, but cases of exposure to these allergens by kisses have been reported. ”We have recently been surprised by the number of allergy sufferers in our database who spontaneously reported such reactions,” says Rosemary Hallett and these colleagues in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine1.

Among the 379 subjects reporting food allergies to nuts or seeds, about 20 (more than 5%) spontaneously reported reactions occurred after a kiss, although the questionnaire which they have been submitted does not include any such request. All the people have to deal with potentially fatal allergic reactions …

Foods involved are peanuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, fish, pecans, peas, pistachios, macadamia nuts, etc..

2. The double effect Kiss … not cool

If the time between ingestion and the kiss from a few minutes to several hours, the effects of hugs do not drag! Allergic reactions usually occur very quickly, less than a minute after the hug.

Localized itching and swelling or hives on the area of the kiss, or difficulty breathing characteristics (wheezing) in four subjects are varied reactions … … The same authors report the case of a 3 year old girl kissed her on the cheek by his mother. Moments later, a large reaction appeared on the exact location of the kiss: urticaria, angioedema, severe respiratory difficulties, flushing … these same events have required the administration of epinephrine (adrenaline) in the emergency department of the hospital . In this case, the culprit would be a pea soup, with whom the child has never had direct contact.

Although most reactions have been observed as moderate, four people were reported bronchial spasms and a child’s life was even threatened …

According to researchers, “the possibility of an allergic reaction after a kiss is probably overlooked by most people with allergies. But the fact that 5.5% of our subjects have reported this type of personal information suggests that a percentage even more important to patients with food allergy are at risk. “ Scientists believe that “since a third of our subjects had reactions while dating, teenagers and young adults in particular should be informed about this mode of exposure to allergens. Patients suffering from Severe food allergies and age to have dating should be encouraged to tell their friends.

Allergies to drugs remain poorly understood. The studies that have been spent are few and allergic reactions are sometimes difficult to differentiate from other side effects. Yet no less than 15-30% of adverse drug reactions may be allergic in nature.

According to recent statistics, one in ten French people present or have presented during his life an allergy to a drug. These conditions involve the immune system response against the substance causing the allergy, called the allergen.

Initially, the drug causes an allergen-specific response by the immune system (sensitization phase), and clinical manifestations appear during subsequent exposure.

1. Reactions sometimes severe

The mechanisms involved in these drug allergies often involve excessive production of antibodies of class E, which will release allergic mediators such as histamine, causing clinical disorders.

The allergic reaction can occur by:

• A skin reaction (hives, rash);
• Intestinal symptoms such as vomiting;
• Abdominal cramps or diarrhea;
• Respiratory disorders (cough, nasal congestion, sneezing …);
• Eye irritation;
• Or laryngeal edema or anaphylactic shock with collapse of the blood pressure.

However, we can also see the side of these classic allergies, drug allergies when other symptoms are caused by abnormal immunological slightly different (complex formation between the allergen and the antibody). These drug allergies result in an inflammatory reaction associating with a fever and sometimes swelling of joints. Some medications can also cause liver damage, lung, kidney or blood cells by mechanisms rather special.

2. A risk difficult to assess by the attending physician

Drug allergies should be taken seriously. They are not related to the dose of medication received, are often unpredictable and can cause death in cases of anaphylactic shock. But unfortunately, they are often difficult to recognize at an early stage, when they translate a simple skin reaction. In fact, doctors say little allergic reactions to drug pharmacovigilance centers.

Here it is, the sun is finally the end of his nose. This is the perfect time for lounging while dreaming of a nice tan. But beware of benign summer light eruption, ie the famous sun allergy.To spend a summer in style, some caution needs …

The rash of small red spots that are itching from the first exposure to the sun, you know? This allergy is well known dermatologists deemed to spoil the holidays for followers of relaxing and sunbathing in summer. This year, adopt preventive measures simple and effective. For this summer, it decided, it will escape you!

1. Lucite kesaco?

Benign summer light eruption does not less than 10% of adults. His journey is simple: saving face in 80% of cases, it is localized on the neck, shoulders, arms, legs sometimes forget the back foot and, as of the second day of intense or prolonged sun exposure year. Also qu’inesthétiques uncomfortable, it is noted by the eruption of small red spots resembling a slightly raised hives or small blisters all associated with severe itching.

The summer light eruption mainly affects women (90% of cases) and usually occurs between 15 and 25 years.

2. The charge?

Certainly the sun is our skin! Once again he is the culprit and in particular UVA.This explains why it may appear after sunbed sessions (artificial UVA) and it rarely affects the face, mostly sunny.

Most summer halaal benign regress naturally in 5-15 days, with the deletion of any sun exposure.

Warning! Know that its recurrence is inevitable subsequent years and may take a much more severe. It can be found at moderate single exposures, with an extension of body areas affected by an eruption but also early for a winter sports holiday or simply a sunny weekend.

3. One solution: prevention!

Real poison street vacation, experts have noticed a real increase in the number of cases: “This seasonal allergy is not photo-sensitizing agent identified, unlike the hyper sensitivity of the skin caused by a photosensitizing agent said, as some drugs, cosmetics and perfume, “says Dr. Michel Jeanmougin, a dermatologist at the Hospital of St. Louis and a specialist in lucite summer.