Recently, a question was posted about nut oils in cleaners, creams, and lotions on the Onespot Allergy Facebook page, which led to a conversation about which Cetaphil products contain nut oils. Many dermatologists, family doctors, and allergists recommend Cetaphil products for their patients with eczema or sensitive skin, but care should be given to first determine if those patients are allergic to tree nuts.
Shea, almond, and macadamia nut oils are used by Cetaphil. These products would not be safe for consumers allergic to tree nuts, and the products that don’t include those oils still could have traces of those allergens, if they’re made in the same facility or on the same manufacturing line. To find out more, the contact information for Cetaphil can be viewed by clicking here.
A recent study conducted by several physicians was submitted to the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology as a letter to the editor, which you can read by clicking here. The letter states that there are no reports of ingestion or contact-related reactions to shea butter in individuals with nut allergy. The doctors determined that shea nut and shea butter contain extremely low levels of water/salt soluble protein and as a result there would be minimal availability of protein in commercial shea butter products. I would still exercise caution, since they stated that “it is unknown whether nipple creams with shea butter used by mothers could predispose to sensitization toward other tree nuts or peanuts in breast-fed infants.” Interestingly, I also learned from this study that shea nuts contains latex.
There are no reports of ingestion or contact-related reactions to shea butter in individuals with nut allergy. Considering the wide use of skin products containing shea butter, we sought to determine whether there are detectable proteins in shea nut or shea butter extracts and whether such proteins are recognized by subjects with peanut or tree nut allergy.
Shea Nut Butter** and macadamia nut oil
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Cetaphil DailyAdvance Ultra Hydrating Lotion |
Ingredients: aqua (purified water/eau purifiée), glycerin, hydrogenated polyisobutene, cetearyl alcohol (and) ceteareth-20, macadamia integrifolia seed oil, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), tocopheryl acetate, cyclopentasiloxane, sodium PCA, cyclopentasiloxane (and) dimethiconol, benzyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, panthenol, sodium polyacrylate, farnesol, stearoxytrimethylsilane (and) stearyl alcohol, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, citric acid, sodium hydroxide. |
Shea Nut Butter |
Cetaphil Barrier Cream |
Ingredients: aqua (purified water/eau purifiée), glycerin, cetearyl alcohol (and) oleth-12, PEG-2 stearate, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, dimethicone, stearyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate (and) PEG-100 stearate, methylparaben, tocopherol, arginine PCA, chlorhexidine digluconate |
Macadamia Nut Oil** also referred to as integrifolia seed oiland shea nut butter**** also referred to as butyrospermum parki |
Cetaphil DailyAdvance Ultra Hydrating Lotion |
Ingredients: aqua (purified water/eau purifiée), glycerin, hydrogenated polyisobutene, cetearyl alcohol (and) ceteareth-20, macadamia , butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), tocopheryl acetate, cyclopentasiloxane, sodium PCA, cyclopentasiloxane (and) dimethiconol, benzyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, panthenol, sodium polyacrylate, farnesol, stearoxytrimethylsilane (and) stearyl alcohol, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, citric acid, sodium hydroxide. |
Macadamia Nut Oil |
Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion |
Ingredients: aqua (purified water/eau purifiée), glycerin, hydrogenated polyisobutene, cetearyl alcohol (and) ceteareth 20, macadamia integrifolia seed oil, dimethicone, tocopheryl acetate, stearoxytrimethylsilane (and) stearyl alcohol, panthenol, farnesol, benzyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, sodium hydroxide, citric acid |
Sweet Almond Oil****** also referred to as prunus amygdalus dulcis |
Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream |
Ingredients: aqua (purified water/eau purifiée), glyceryl polymethacrylate (and) propylene glycol, petrolatum, dicaprylyl ether, glyceryl stearate (and) PEG-30 stearate, glycerin, dimethicone (and) dimethiconol, cetyl alcohol, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, tocopheryl acetate, phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol, disodium EDTA, sodium hydroxide |
Source: http://www.cetaphil.ca/En/Products/Ingredients.aspx
Accessed 7 April 2011
Cetaphil also has a line of products specifically for eczema, which are the Restoraderm wash and lotion. They too contain shea.
Shea Nut Butter |
Restoraderm Wash |
Ingredients: water, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), sodium trideceth sulfate, glycerin, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, sodium chloride, sodium lauramphoacetate, cocamide MEA, citric acid, niacinamide, sodium PCA, tocopheryl acetate, 1,2-Hexanediol and caprylyl glycol, disodium EDTA, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, allantoin, potassium sorbate, arginine, methylisothiazolinone |
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Restoraderm Lotion |
Ingredients: water, glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, pentylene glycol, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), sorbitol, cyclopentasiloxane, cetearyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, tocopheryl acetate, hydroxypalmitoyl sphinganine, cetyl alcohol, arginine, disodium ethylene dicocamide PEG-15 disulfate, glyceryl stearate citrate, niacinamide, sodium PCA, ceteareth-20, sodium polyacrylate, caprylyl glycol, allantoin, citric acid, panthenol, dimethiconol, disodium EDTA, sodium hyaluronate |
Source: http://www.cetaphil.ca/En/Products/FAQRestoraderm.aspx Accessed 7 April 2011
If you’re wondering if substances applied to the skin can cause anaphylaxis, they can: “When trying to determine the cause of an anaphylactic reaction, physicians and patients generally consider substances that had been ingested or injected, but may fail to consider agents that had been applied to the skin. However, the systemic absorption of many topically applied substances is well known, and in fact is used as the drug delivery system of choice (via transdermal patches) for such items as nicotine, scopolamine, and hormone replacement therapy. It must therefore be remembered that any topical application that is capable of causing systemic absorption is also capable of provoking systemic IgE mediated allergy—and not just cell-mediated contact dermatitis. Click here to the full article by Dr. Jeffrey Miller.
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Hi friends, recently I have had to look into different kinds of creams and lotions for my son who has had a severe flare-up of his eczema due to his nut allergy. It all started when I applied cetaphil cream on him without realising there is sweet Almond oil in it. I have to stop all cetaphil skin wash too( which he had been using for some time and it does not have nut oil on its ingredient label) now that I suspect the whole range of cetaphil may come from the same manufacturing facility. They also use macademia oil too hence there is a chance of cross contamination. Apart from that, a lot of creams for eczema have tocopherol acetate ( vit-E) and a search on the web says its origin may come from wheat/soy/nuts eg walnut and seeds eg sunflower etc. I am now finding it really hard to find a suitable cream for him as he is also allergic to Olive oil too.
I have a tree nut allergy, but never thought of shea butter as a potential allergen. I use shea butter all the time without any problems what-so-ever.
I’ve never used cetaphil, but I have been checking ingredients for bath products and such because so many contain almond oil.
Cetaphil is actually one product I CAN use because it doesn’t contain wheat or soy (many other skincare products do). Too bad there isn’t a skincare product for everyone.
I think we sell that here in Australia, I’ll check it out, thank you. Also whilst we are on the subject of nut oils in products, did you see my post about Lice Breaker, Head Lice Treatment by Valiant Pharmaceuticals, this has undeclared Macadamia Nut Oil, Kane had a severe reaction to it and ended up in Hospital. Worth checking of you sell it in the US.
Susan – that’s terrible that your paediatric allergist uses this product!
My children’s pediatrician is also a pediactric allergist. She keeps Cetaphil on her desk to moisturize after washing to examine kids. I had to tell her it contained nut oils!! I really like her-and still use her BUT I told her this 6 months ago and she still keeps it on her desk! How can a pediatric allergist use this several times a day and still touch nut allergic kids?? It never ends……