Individuals with inflammatory skin conditions should avoid skincare products containing food products such as goat’s milk, new research published in the Clinical & Experimental Allergy suggests. The study followed seven patients with inflammatory skin conditions experiencing anaphylaxis — a serious allergic reaction — after ingesting sheep’s or goat’s milk or cheese products. All the patients had a history of using skincare products made from goat’s milk to treat inflammatory skin conditions prior to the onset of the allergic reaction.
Inflammation is a crucial process that occurs in the body. When it recognises infectious microbes or cancer cells, the immune system sends a response to drive out the pathogens and begin the process of healing. The body also sends out a response to promote healing of wounds or areas of damaged tissue. This immune response is known as inflammation and the body would not heal without it. Skin inflammation usually appears as a rash. Some inflammatory rashes cause pimples or blisters, while some cause sting, burn, or itch.
“Marketing of skin products derived from goat’s milk is extensive and targeted to patients with ‘sensitive skin’ who commonly have underlying inflammatory skin conditions,” the authors of the study wrote.
“Our findings provide novel evidence of the origins of adult-onset milk allergy and adds to the growing body of evidence that use of foodstuffs as therapy for inflammatory skin conditions can lead to the development of new food allergies.”
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While the treatment depends on the area of inflammation and the causes, among hundreds of skincare products, dermatologists and skin enthusiasts mostly prefer antioxidants. Antioxidants are minerals and vitamins that protect the skin against free radicals. The daily exposure of the skin to environmental aggressors such as pollution and blue light increases free radicals. This causes oxidative stress on the skin, leading to increased pigmentation, premature wrinkles, skin dullness, and damaged skin barrier.