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Seasonal Allergies and AsthmaI'd like to offer you my personal experience with respect to allergies. Up until 2008, the only thing I knew I was allergic to is sulfa, commonly used as an antibiotic. A few years ago, I had a bad reaction to hair dye. It left me with ongoing scalp issues. I went to a medical doctor, who prescribed OTC hair remedies. These did nothing to solve my problem. If anything, they made them worse. I went to a dermatologist, who prescribed a prescription shampoo and OTC hair remedies. These did not resolve the issue. I asked the dermatologist to recommend an allergist. She refused to do so, saying she was certain I had sebhorreic dermatitis, that I couldn't be allergic to hair dye or shampoos, and I just needed to give her strategy some time. Finally, after more months of difficulty, my primary care doctor referred me to an allergist who tested me for common pet, food and environmental allergies. It turns out that I'm deathly allergic to para-phenylenadiamine, which is in many dyes, including hair dye. I'm also allergic to something in the shampoo (that test gave me a blister). I've since learned that if you're allergic to para-phenylenadiamine, you are susceptible to sulfa allergies. It seems logical to wonder whether it goes the other way. Had I know about this connection, I doubt I would have dyed my hair. I suggest that if you dye your hair, you test your skin every time, not just once. I used the dye for a few years with no problems. One day, my scalp had had enough. Shortly after this, I saw another dermatologist, who said the skin on my face was reacting to sun damage and I needed to have a chemical peel. While I was building up the courage to do this procedure, I went off my face makeup and lotions, and all of my skin problems went away. I went back to my allergist, who referred me to a different allergist for a full test of chemical products. It turns out I'm allergic to my face makeup, something in an allergy-free hair conditioner, and nine other substances, including fragrance, thimerosol, propylene glycol, cobalt, adhesive tape, gold and nickel. These allergies - which do not show up with the symptoms you'd expect - might explain why I had a negative reaction to an eye drop that's commonly used to lower eye pressure. After one drop, I couldn't see out of the eye, and it was very painful. When I called the specialist about my reaction, he told me I had to keep taking the drop. He was dismissive, almost rude, and he didn't care to recheck my eye. I think he felt I was not to be taken seriously. My regular eye doctor has worked hard to find a drop I can take. I tell you my stories because, often, allergies are the last thing on medical professionals' minds. Be your own advocate. If your body begins reacting strangely to environments that have always been welcoming, consider the possibility of an allergy. Get tested. Keep a sheet of your allergies in your wallet, especially if your allergies might be an issue during medical procedures. It could save you a lot of time and difficulty. It could even save your life.
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