Allergy problems

My eczema doesn’t seem to behave as it should! I keep
getting flares around my eyes and eyelids, and my GP
can’t explain why. I always use the same creams, which
sometimes work and sometimes don’t. Should I see a
consultant?
This is a common presentation of any allergic contact eczema.
Unusual patterns like this should always suggest the need for allergy
testing. The skin around the eyes and on the eyelids is very
sensitive, and one common cause of allergy is actually nail varnish.
We are sure you are not applying nail varnish anywhere near your
eyes, but you might be surprised how often you touch this area,
and if you are wearing nail varnish this can cause a reaction. It
could also be a reaction to any make-up you might use inter-
mittently around the eyes, and you could also have developed an
allergy to one of your treatments.
I recently had to go to hospital for patch-testing and
found out I was allergic to nickel. I try to make sure I
don’t come into contact with it, but I still seem to get
eczema. Is nickel eczema just from contact with it?
You have probably been given a list of metals that contain nickel,
but it also occurs in many foods, which could be a reason for your
eczema continuing. You could also have several different triggers
for your eczema, not just nickel.
Cheap jewellery is not the only source of direct contact with
nickel as it is unfortunately present in many common items made
of, or containing, metal:
• clothes fastenings such as jeans studs, hooks and zips;
• other personal objects – cigarette lighters, wristwatches,
key rings, keys, parts of spectacle frames and pens;
• household items such as drawer and cupboard handles,
kitchen utensils, toasters, etc.• silver coins.
The list could almost be endless so only a few examples are given
here. The nickel content of some foods comes from natural sources
or from the way in which they are prepared. This is usually only a
problem if you have a severe reaction to nickel, which often shows
up as a blistering eczema (pompholyx) on the hands. Avoid canned
foods, and use aluminium or stainless steel utensils when cooking.
A dietitian could give you a list of foods to avoid, which will include
asparagus, oysters, herrings (other fish are OK), mushrooms,
onions, tomatoes and rhubarb.