Allergic Reaction to Biotone

[bballgurlis]

I'm not a massage therapist, but I have a question for you folks...I received a massage a week ago, the therapist used Biotone Revitalizing Oil and Biotone Advanced Therapy Cream. That evening my legs starting itching, next morning I work up with rash all over my arms and legs, later moving to stomach and back. The rash started small and then turned into large red bumps, and in some places welts. By around 10am it was gone, only to return at 6am - 10am the next morning. This has been happening every morning since the massage, though now on the 7th day it is not as intense (though still here). This is the first time I've ever experienced such a reaction and I was wondering if any of you have seen a similar reaction on your customers after using Biotone products?? I'd appreciate all feedback as I am trying to isolate exactly what I am allergic to!! Thanks!

 

[Allison M]

sounds like hives.  i think i am allergic to biotone products also.  hives will show up with bumps that resemble welts-- itches like CRAZY!!!  it will come and go.

 

[skyle]

Well, if it's gone all day, then back again in the morning, then gone by 10am then back again when you wake up...., I'd take a look at your sheets. New detergent?  New fabric softner?  New infestation?   Call Biotone and have them send you a list of the ingredients for the products you used.  Good luck, best wishes, hope you lose your bumps and itches.

 

[AnimeFreak]

Allergic Reaction to Biotone

On the sheet line of thought, could it be that you slept in them after the massage, got oil on them and keep reacting to it while sleeping? Have you changed your bed sheets since the massage?I have a reaction to their lotion. After working with it for a few days, the skin on my hands starts to get scaley, dry and itchy. When I switched to oil it went away, then back to the lotion, it returned. It's a shame 'cause I have this big ole' bottle of it in my space that I can't use :-[Funniest thing is it's called "Nutri-Naturals". But in the list of ingredients is dimenthicone, a form of chemical emolient(I think)that I have heard isn't so good for the skin.

 

[Proffesor Jelskraft]

Allergic Reaction to Biotone

i have never been a fan of biotone massage lubricants.

hope you feel better soon.  

 

[Lost Girl]

Allergic Reaction to Biotone

I know this is an old thread, and I'm new & mostly lurk. I am allergic to MANY lotions and oils, and generally take my own oil when receiving massage. I work with almond oil, sunflower, safflower, olive, coconut and sometimes grapeseed oil. Almond is my favorite, but when I'm doing a trade, I do make sure the other MT is not allergic to nuts before I go. If he/she has a nut allergy, I ask what single ingredient oil I can take with me.

I like to give my clients options, but I would also have no problem with a client taking in their own lubricant to avoid an allergic reaction -- as long as it is something *I* am not allergic to. I'd hate for the OP to stop receiving massage or even switch therapists without at least asking about switching lubricants.

 

[Mommy of 1]

I haven't checked lately, but some biotone products use formaldehyde disguised by a trade name as a preservative. If you are unsure, have a shower as soon as possible after your treatment. I had a couple clients with reactions to bitone general purpose and I stopped using it altogether in favour of natural oils.

 

[hotchic_foxy101]

Allergic Reaction to Biotone

Well, if it's gone all day, then back again in the morning, then gone by 10am then back again when you wake up...., I'd take a look at your sheets. New detergent?  New fabric softner?  New infestation?   Call Biotone and have them send you a list of the ingredients for the products you used.  Good luck, best wishes, hope you lose your bumps and itches.

True about the laundry products. However if you haven't changed detergents, there's no reason to suddenly start reacting to the one you're using. Seems a bit too coincidental.

Biotone, on the other hand, has an ingredient list that reads like a chemistry lab manual. There are many, many, possible irritants, and some ingredients are also toxic, to various extents, or they are carriers of other toxins. I know that my skin cannot stand any Biotone products at all.

About the itching that flares up and dies down...That is natural. We learned about this in NMT. Your body has 2 cycles, an Immune Response, and an Inflammatory Response. The two counteract each other; when one is dominant, the other is more passive. They take turns. The Immune Response, which the immune system rules, is dominant from about 10am to 10pm. This is usually the time that itching is less intense. However, come about 10pm (or an hour or two earlier, depending on the person), the Inflammatory Response kicks in, which increases itching and swelling. I've found itching to be most intense between 6am and 9am, just as I'm getting up and around.

I've been an "eczema" sufferer for 2 years. It covers the ulnar side of my forearms and hands, my ring and pinky fingers, and the inside of my elbows. So I have plenty of first-hand experience with itching, rashes, reactions, etc. It answered a lot of questions for me when we learned about those cycles in NMT. I also found that certain foods can help or aggravate. I've found ice to be awesome in bringing itching down, and also, I take a clean washcloth, run it under some PURE (not tap or Brita-"filtered") water, and itch with that. It exfoliates, washes, and slightly dries out the skin, letting it breathe. I've found that clears up a lot of itching, while satisfying the uncontrollable urge to itch.

Probably more than y'all wanted to know, but I figured it was relevant here, and there's a high rate of skin problems among therapists (reactions to products, maybe?) so I figured others would also get use out of this info.

Anyway, hugs to all,
--Jyoti

 

[darknowhere00]

I am a massage professional and have used many products in my time. One of Biotone's main ingredients is Coconut oil. In fact coconut oil was the choice of my massage shool's clinic when I was there because it is so inexpensive to acquire. Coconut oil will not react in the majority of the population but I have experienced an average of 5 - 10% of patients and practitioners having some kind of alergic reaction to cocoanut oil. Some reactions can be quite violent and perfectly match what you have discribed.

 

[2 days left !]

Allergic reaction

Well the Biotone Advanced therapy is hypoallergenic but the revitalizing oil is not. I have a client that is allergic to any kind of nut so i can't use anything but advanced therapy. the revitalizing oil has nuts in it so that may be what you are allergic to.

 

[greendaylover7]

If I remember right, hypo-allergenic simply means that it did not cause a reaction in more than 15% of the ppl tested. It doesn't mean, though, that it's perfectly safe.

Also, more ppl are sensitive to the chemicals (fragrances, preservatives, thickening agents, etc) than they are to the natural oils and other natural ingredients. Chemicals are artificial, usually caustic, and very often toxic (even if they're regarded as "safe" and they ARE absorbed by the skin to the tune of about 60%).

Just food for thought
Blessings,
~Jyoti (RMT, TX)

 

[A Husband with Needs]

I also react to Biotone oils, especially the "Advanced Therapy" line. The only one I do not react to (yet,) is the Dual Purpose Creme. I have no sensitivity to coconut oil and have been using it at home for years on dry elbows, feet and occasionally for my scalp and hair.

I have no idea what it is in the Biotone Advanced Therapy line to which I am allergic, but I break out in deep cystic blemishes within 3-4 days of use, every time. I rarely have that symptom at any other time, for any other reason, except receiving a massage where the practitioner uses Biotone. The worst offender seems to be the A.T. Massage Gel.

I can't even say how frustrating it is to tell the therapist I'm allergic to Biotone, and have them use it anyways, even with other options available. I think if a therapist told me that's all they had, I would walk out of the session. I'm soooo tired of wondering if I'm going to end up with painful lumps on the back of my neck after a session because the therapist sneaked and used the Biotone anyways. :evil:

 

[rich935]

OUCH!

 

[PaoloPH]

I can't even say how frustrating it is to tell the therapist I'm allergic to Biotone, and have them use it anyways, even with other options available. I think if a therapist told me that's all they had, I would walk out of the session. I'm soooo tired of wondering if I'm going to end up with painful lumps on the back of my neck after a session because the therapist sneaked and used the Biotone anyways. :evil:

:shock: I would be soooooo upset! That is incredibly dangerous! I can't imagine not listening to someone's report of allergies!!!

 

[Pompal 09.]

I haven't checked lately, but some biotone products use formaldehyde disguised by a trade name as a preservative. If you are unsure, have a shower as soon as possible after your treatment. I had a couple clients with reactions to bitone general purpose and I stopped using it altogether in favour of natural oils.

This is really disturbing to discover. I havefor the most part had very good success using Biotone products. I even have one regular client who is quite sensative to many massage products, but actually prefers that I use unscented Biotone Deep -Tissue Massage Lotion.

I'm looking at the ingredients right now and the only thing I have some concern about is this "traditional mild preservative" called "methyl/propyl paraben." Does anyone have some experience with this ingredient? Thanks!

 

[Please Answer]

Y'all may want to know this...

Taken directly from: http://www.health-report.co.uk/benzene-lubricants-condoms.htm
(yes, I know it's a condom story, but contained therein, is the following relevant information)

The effects of benzene on the human system are as follows: "Confirmed human carcinogen producing myeloid leukaemia, Hodgkin's disease, and lymphomas by inhalation. A human poison by inhalation . . .skin contact, intraperitoneal, intravenous, and possibly other routes. A severe eye and moderate skin irritant. . . blood changes, increased body temperature. . .Mutation data reported. . . .The bone marrow may be [damaged], . . .the changes reflected in the peripheral blood. Anaemia, leucopoenia, macrocytosis, . . .thrombocytopenia may be present. . . Benzene has a definite cumulative action . . . . In chronic poisoning the onset is slow, with the symptoms vague: fatigue, headache, dizziness, nausea and loss of appetite, loss of weight, and weakness are common complaints [emphasis mine]. There is great individual variation in the signs and symptoms of chronic benzene poisoning." (21)

So what does benzene have to do with the paraben family? Read on...

Benzene belongs to the chemical family known as aromatic hydrocarbons, the other members, and their uses, are:


NAPHTHALENE: The main constituent in mothballs and employed in the production of dyes and synthetic resins. It is also used for industrial lubricants, explosives, fungicides, and as a solvent and preservative.
ANILINE: Related to both benzene and ammonia, it is used to make a wide variety of organic chemical compounds including pharmaceuticals, photographic chemicals, and dye intermediates.
PHENOL: Chiefly manufactured from benzene, its chief uses are in the manufacturing of plastics, dyes, and disinfectants.
HYDROQUINONE: Manufactured by oxidizing aniline, it is used extensively as a photographic developer and as a food antioxidant.

The other aromatic hydrocarbons are xylene and toluene. The effects of the hydrocarbons are similar: they accumulate in, and damage, the bone marrow causing anaemia and depressed immune function. A related compound, though not a hydrocarbon, is benzoic acid, a.k.a., sodium benzoate, methylparaben, and propylparaben (22).

Fun-Facts...

Benzoic acid/sodium benzoate is an FDA-approved preservative used in FOOD.

Methylparaben/propylparaben/etc are used CONSTANTLY in shampoos and other hair products, deodorants, makeups, toothpastes, etc...all over the place! You almost can't get away from them; they're in EVERYTHING. Even the so-called "herbal" or "natural" products often contain these ingredients; in fact, it's rare that something is paraben-free. All I can say is, read your labels...

(And we wonder why everyone is overweight, sick, mentally cloudy, and depressed...and why oh why are there so many NERVE and AUTO-IMMUNE disorders???) [/rant]

Hugs,
~Jyoti
(an Organic Chemistry student and completely natural/organic enthusiast/researcher for almost 4 years)

 

[Lizzy]

Nordic wrote: I havefor the most part had very good success using Biotone products. I even have one regular client who is quite sensative to many massage products, but actually prefers that I use unscented Biotone Deep -Tissue Massage Lotion. I'm looking at the ingredients right now and the only thing I have some concern about is this "traditional mild preservative" called "methyl/propyl paraben." Does anyone have some experience with this ingredient? Thanks!

Jyoti wrote: Methylparaben/propylparaben/etc are used CONSTANTLY in shampoos and other hair products, deodorants, makeups, toothpastes, etc...all over the place! You almost can't get away from them; they're in EVERYTHING. Even the so-called "herbal" or "natural" products often contain these ingredients; in fact, it's rare that something is paraben-free.

Jyoti's right. Parabens are very common. For that reason, I think it's important to post this fact: Biotone is one of many brands that use preservatives/additives in their creams. They aren't even close to being the "worst offender." However, they're so popular in the massage marketplace that people who experience a reaction to an ingredient often experience that ingredient through a Biotone product. Then, the rumors start spreading that Biotone is toxic, and somehow other brands are fine.

I've done a lot of research on ingredients lately. Here's a link to another thread that's full of good information: http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4813
Nordic, if you're willing, it would be great if you added Biotone's deep tissue massage lotion to this thread.

What I learned through my research is that true lotions and creams need additives for two basic reasons. 1. water and oil are the main ingredients in lotions/creams, and they cannot blend naturally. They need something added to make them mix and stay mixed. 2. water is susceptible to mold, so preservatives are needed in lotions/creams. If you want to use a truly all-natural product, you need to leave lotions/creams behind. Oils are one option, but check their ingredient list too, as many contain dispersants to help them wash out of sheets. Butters (like Santa Barbara Massage Cream) are another option. (Even though this product is called a cream, it has the consistency of a butter and an oily feel.)

Lastly, as some earlier posts in this thread have mentioned, your clients can have allergic reactions to natural ingredients as well as preservatives. They can be allergic to nuts, or coconut, or apricot oil -- whatever. The only oil I know of that's truly non-allergenic (safe to use with everyone) is jojoba oil. So even if you use all-natural oils or butters, it's still good to have jojoba oil available.

Whatever you decide, remember that not everyone reacts to ingredients the same way. In fact, most people never have adverse effects. So, if you and your clients like using creams or lotions, don't feel guilty. However, it's good to have something like straight Jojoba oil available in your office for clients with allergies and skin sensitivies.

 

[syco2236]

Great posts Bliss and Jyoti. Good work.

In the areas of preservitives there are natural preservitives that also work but in the lotion world they tend to be egnored a lot of the time for some reason. Graprefruit seed extract is just one of them.

Great posts you two. I am glad you wrote

 

[Pompal 09.]

someone once posted the ingredients to biotone and the formaldahyde ingredient is called germal and i too am very allergic to it. just ask the therapist to please use grapeseed oil. i am sure they have it. grapeseed oil is a natural skin conditioner and i have never heard of anyone having a reaction to it. i am very allergic to the dual purpose and the clear results. it sucks. i used to buy jasons organics body lotion and mix with oil , but that got too expensive, so now i just use oil and then give the client a hot towel to wipe off excess at the end.

 

[MelissaHudgens]

I'm actually mildly allergic to grapeseed oil. I bought some since I heard that is what we will be using in school when I start next month and I have very sensitive skin. Wanted to test it first. I put a little on my leg and within a couple of minutes, I had all of these little red bumps. They didn't itch or anything, but they lasted a few days.

So I used my grapeseed oil to make aromatherapy stuff for other folks who don't have such troublesome skin, and ordered a gallon of jojoba to use at school (even though everyone else gets the freebie grapeseed oil ).

Oh, well. You just never know. All natural doesn't necessarily mean non-allergenic I guess. Had a nasty reaction to fractionated coconut oil too. .

Emily