Xiangbao (香包), or perfume sachets, could cause some people to develop an allergic rash, as most perfume sachets on the market are made using chemical fragrances, a dermatologist said on Friday.
Wearing perfume sachets is traditional during the Dragon Boat Festival, which fell on Thursday this year, but some people could develop contact dermatitis after touching them due to their ingredients, Cathay General Hospital dermatologist Yu Yu (俞佑) said.
Contact dermatitis occurs where an allergen comes into direct contact with the skin, Yu said, citing a recent case in which a three-year-old boy developed an itchy rash on his chest after wearing a perfume sachet given to him by his grandmother.
Photo: Luo Chi, Taipei Times
Symptoms develop quickly if the contact dermatitis results from an irritant, but an allergic reaction appears slowly, he said.
Mild contact dermatitis is characterized by redness or spots, as well as itchy and flaky skin, while severe contact dermatitis can result in oozing blisters and burning skin, Yu said.
Most cases of contact dermatitis caused by contact with perfume sachets are an allergic reaction, the symptoms of which usually appear days after initial contact, he said.
Although sachets made with traditional Chinese herbal medicine are safer than those made using artificial fragrances, contact dermatitis can also be caused by medicinal herbs, he said.
Among the herbal ingredients commonly used for sachets, cloves and mint can often cause skin allergies, while dahurian angelica, Atractylodes lancea, bay laurel and nutmeg have also been linked to skin allergies in academic papers, he said.
People found to have contact dermatitis should immediately get rid of all suspected allergens, he said, adding that applying topical corticosteroids helps.
People with more severe allergic reactions could consider taking oral antihistamines or corticosteroids to shorten their recovery, he added.
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