Have a red, sore itchy rash after wearing that new bracelet? It could result from allergic contact dermatitis, a skin reaction to something - jewelry, fragrance or other substances - with which you’ve had contact.

The July issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter lists the top 10 causes of contact dermatitis that were recently identified by Mayo Clinic researchers:

- Nickel, commonly found on jewelry clasps or buttons

- Gold, usually worn as jewelry

- Balsam of Peru, a fragrance used in skin care products and perfume

 

- Thimerosal, a preservative used in vaccines

- Neomycin sulfate, a topical antibiotic

- Fragrance mix, which is comprised of eight of the most common flavorings found in various products

- Formaldehyde, a preservative that can be found in paper products, paints, building materials, medications, household cleaners and fabric finishes

- Cobalt chloride, a metal found in medical products, hair dye, antiperspirants, and in snaps, buttons and tools

- Bacitracin, a topical antibiotic

- Quaternium-15, a preservative found in skin care products and in industrial products such as paints, polishes and waxes

If you suspect that you may have allergic contact dermatitis, you will need to have a skin allergy patch testing to confirm allergies to these substances. 

 Other news