severe reaction to Vanicream

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twinturbo:
Ever since my big apple->ER reaction I've been hiving after each and every shampoo and face wash. It happens with Baby Aquaphor, Dove Sensitive Skin, Suave Kids, Johnson & Johnson, California Baby Sensitive, all products I used previous. Thinking it might be temperature I've tried washing and rinsing with water only multiple times--nada. The only way to reduce the hives is to very quickly wash my hair with a 2-in-1. Like 5 seconds.

Found Vanicream shampoo and conditioner locally so I tried it. OMG was that a mistake. Where the product had run down my face it looked chemical burnt and rashed. Soon after within the swathes of red rash hives started to come up so I went straight for the Benadryl but it was bad enough that I got an all over body tingle and slight nausea. So I chilled on the couch to see if it would progress or not.

What's strange is DS2 also starting to have the hive after shampoo issue crop up about the same time as me. Same, only when the California Baby or Baby Aquaphor is applied to face and scalp.

I put this to the local allergist and Sicherer as well. Local allergist was at a loss, Sicherer thought cholinergic urticaria due to temp change or grease gland stimulation. The man should surely know but this seems much more than that because where the shampoo and conditioner ran down my face you could see the burn marks.

I'm not sure what to do anymore. The last time I showered and used Aquaphor quickly to wash up I started getting red marks (not hives) all over my body after... and that's new. I'm getting desperate to find an answer so I'm going to try a dermatologist maybe wash my face with Dove Sensitive right in front of them so they can see rather than try to figure out.

But, crazy as this is has anyone ever heard of it? It doesn't seem prudent to keep provoking my system but I have to get clean somehow. Again, temperature has no effect. I've tried lukewarm showers shampooing and still hives, super hot showers no shampoo no hives.

:insane:

CMdeux:
Well, you could try a couple of DROPS of mild dish detergent in about a quart of water, I suppose, if you have particularly oily hair. Basically just pour, sit (1-2 min) and rinse.

I've done that in a pinch when I was backpacking/camping and didn't have shampoo.

What happens if you dry patch-test a tiny amount of it on your forearm with a cotton swab?

twinturbo:
The rest of my body seems safe. I even used some Method hand wash (which I use regularly on hands/arms no problems) on my mouth today scrubbing off cheese residue. For a moment I thought oh crap but nothing happened. My toothpaste is regular industrial Colgate which has some of the same ingredients as a shampoo and that's fine as well. Funny that you mention the dish soap because that's next on my DIY allergen challenge list.

Is it weird to be embarrassed about reacting to shampoo? For some reason it's embarrassing.

CMdeux:
Ummm... there are probably more embarrassing things to be allergic to.

Trust me--

<-- latex allergic, here. :misspeak:

MandCmama:
Um yeah, found out the hard way certain bathroom wipes cause severe eczema flares.
Really hope you find answers, quickly! That sounds awful! Reminds me of the time I was accidentally pepper sprayed at a night club(fight broke out next to me) I had painful chemical burns all over my face...
Maybe try dry shampoo to give your scalp a rest for a day or 2? I love Oscar Blandi "pronto invisible".
Good luck!