I'm not allergic to my cat. I'm allergic to bugs, but only in my makeup. Apparently.

October 6, 2009 7:48 AM

Not sure what sort of doctor to go to about an allergy in my eyes that is not due to dust, pollen, mites, my cat, or any of the usual suspects.

I have an allergy to some eye makeup that I've narrowed down to four pots of shadow that I own, and within that pool, one ingredient that I'm fairly sure is the culprit. However, I don't get contact dermatitis - my skin is basically fine - it's when the powder sloughs off into my eyes that the fun begins. (To be clear, I wear a normal amount of this stuff, it's just that there will, inevitably, be some small amount that does get into one's eyes.)

I don't think that my eye doctor deals with allergies (it's not one of the many eye-ailments he lists on his website) and I'm not sure one goes to the dermatologist for one's eyes in this case. Suggestions?

posted by Medieval Maven to health & fitness (13 comments total)

There are doctors that specialize in allergies called an Allergist or Immunologist. They can perform allergy testing. Typically you visit your primary care physician and get a referral. It may just be easier to avoid that ingredient though.
posted by Kimberly at 7:54 AM on October 6

Right. Most allergists in my area specialize in allergies and asthma to do with pollen, pets, and dust allergies. So is there a particular something ELSE on someone's shingle I should be looking for? I want to be tested so I know, so I'm not GUESSING.
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:01 AM on October 6

They say they specialize in those areas because those are the most common reasons people are looking for an allergist. They aren't saying they can't test for anything but those things. Any allergist will do.
posted by nomisxid at 8:18 AM on October 6

I have been to both an allergist and an eye doctor recently and received treatment for allergies from both. The allergist would definitely be able to help you. They are trained to detect allergies to any kind of irritant and makeup would be more common than you'd think. That said, do make sure you get a good one and clear it with your insurance first. I got stuck with a $600 dollar bill after seeing my allergist and he didn't really help me that much.

On my last visit to my eye doctor, however, I mentioned that I had allergies and he was able to prescribe for me some eye drops that relieved irritation. This has helped immensely. I suspect that your eye doctor will be more accessible than an allergist, so it may not be a bad idea to at least consult with him or her first.
posted by bristolcat at 8:25 AM on October 6

I've had eye drops containing allegra or claritin prescribed for me. I've also had testing to find out what I may be allergic to. And so can you.
posted by Obscure Reference at 8:35 AM on October 6

Go to your GP and have them refer you to the appropriate specialist.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:43 AM on October 6

jacquilynne: I would love to, but my GP is a worthless prescription factory. A whole other problem/post.
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:05 AM on October 6

Here's a link to what's in makeup:
http://www.health-report.co.uk/ingredients-directory.htm

Note the symptoms beside Diazolidinyl urea. There is a newish preservative that, when combined with water, releases formeldehyde. I pay attention to these things as I'm allergic to this one and several others. That said, are the ingredients in your makeup listed on the package? You may have to do some digging to find out exactly what they are as, if it's like Canada, different names will be used for the same compound on different manufacturers' labels. I'd start by comparing the ones that bother you to the ones that don't. If it is the preservative, make sure to get the doctor to check the preservative in any eye drops he gives you as you don't want the same one that's hurting you. Preservatives are usually the last item on the label (listed by volume in the product) as very little is required to do the job.

I had to figure out on my own what I was allergic to as there are no tests for chemical allergies.
posted by x46 at 10:12 AM on October 6

I emailed MAC and got a list back of ingredients in each of the four suspect colors; I'm fairly sure what I'm reacting to is Carmine.
posted by Medieval Maven at 10:15 AM on October 6

Are the shadows shimmery? I've got a couple of shimmery shadows that have a strong tendency to make my eyes water something fierce. I strongly suspect it's the bismuth oxychloride they contain. It's an ingredient used in a ton of cosmetics to add smoothness and glitter/shimmer. It also tends to be very irritating to the skin. I can't use many mineral makeups because they contain so much of the stuff, and the eyeshadows that bother me are quite shimmery ones that contain a great deal of it as well. So it might be something to look into

When I really want to wear the shadows, I use an eyeshadow primer (like Urban Decay Primer Potion) to help the shadow stick to my lids with less fallout. I also keep it away from the tear duct and and outer corner, because it seems to migrate into my eyes easier there. Finally, I use allergy eye drops (either and Rx one or Opcon-A) to cut down on any watering that happens.
posted by mostlymartha at 10:21 AM on October 6

Ah, on preview, if it's carmine, then disregard.
posted by mostlymartha at 10:21 AM on October 6

I think what kind of doctor you need depends on what you're trying to accomplish.

Are you trying to alleviate and/or control the symptoms from your allergic reaction? If so, I would start with your eye doctor, who can probably recommend eye drops for your symptoms (OTC or prescription).

Are you trying to determine the specific cause of your allergy? Then this is what you should visit the Allergist for. Like other have mentioned, they test for and treat all sorts of allergies, not just the usual dust, pollen and pets. They might perform what they call a "skin test" for a variety of allergens to see which (if any) you react to.
posted by geeky at 11:09 AM on October 6

Carmine comes from insects (aka cochineal). It's a common enough allergy that some better products will give a warning that if you're allergic to shellfish, you might have a reaction to it. If you have a problem with shrimp or crab, this is a related issue. I've also heard that people that are highly allergic to cockroaches have a problem with it.
posted by fiercekitten at 11:13 AM on October 6