“Do you know what the word ‘allergy’ means?” My dermatologist asked me this question during a recent visit.
“Well,” I said, “I’m allergic to dust mites and...”
“And you’re sensitive to pollen, which comes from plants,” she went on. “You know, not everything natural is good for you.” She was referring to my use of Burt’s Bees products, a skin care line I have used religiously for over 3 years, which uses ingredients that come from flowers among other items from nature.
“Well, I read that using shea butter was good for dry skin issues like eczema. I use it on my skin and on my hair, and it seems to be working just fine...”
“Well, it’s not working for you,” My dermatologist interjected, “because you’re allergic to it!”
Was she joking? Me, allergic to shea butter? As religiously as I’ve used Burt’s Bees to cleanse my skin, African shea butter has been a staple in my household for the past few years. I use it as a hot oil treatment/deep conditioner and as an everyday moisturizer for my hair. I even stopped using lotions and made my own lavender scented shea butter and olive oil cream for my dry skin woes. But if my dermatologist was right, my dedication to the use of this product as a means of using less chemicals may have done more harm than good.
My use of natural products coincided with my decision to wear my hair chemical free. I spent months reading up on skin care alternatives and went through a number of trial and error experimentations to find what items worked best for me.
Finding out that I may be allergic to these things after years of use leads me back to square one. And when I look back, the signs were always there: my sensitivity to allergens did seem to worsen over the years, but I thought swapping all of my products would be the solution. I even enlisted the guidance of an acupuncturist to advice me on other alternative healthcare methods. So, what do I now?
Since my meeting with my dermatologist, I have been seeking other more mainstream products. I, sadly, gave away all of my shea butter to friends and family whom I know will appreciate it. I continued to use my Burt’s Bees until it was completely gone, and I have a list of other cleansers and lotions recommended by my doctor to try.
For my hair, I’ve decided to try using Castor Oil, since I’ve read its praises on several natural hair blogs and for my skin I recently purchased Vanicream lotion. The lotion feels amazing, however the price is not too appealing: approx. $14.
My question to you is, have you had this experience with natural products? Are you an organic product enthusiast who found out you were allergic to certain items you were using? What products did you switch to in the hopes of remedying this situation?
As always, I would love to hear any comments or advice you have about this particular issue! Please leave all comments in the section provided.
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