Showing reaction on my back with rounded red thingy, i was make known by the doctor that i am allergic to something call Colophony. The doc asked me whether i’m aware of the name, i said: No… in my heart i was thinking, why the hell will i be aware of it! It’s those medical terms that i or i believe most of us won’t come come by, urgh… whatever.

Colophony is also known as rosin, is the yellow, sticky sap tapped from pine & spruce tree trunks. Three types of colophony, gum, wood and tall oil. The only way to prevent allergy is to avoid the contact with the followings: (sources taken from allergyclinic.co.nz)

• Adhesives, such as sticking plasters, tapes and glues
• Cements for linoleum, rubber, shoes
• Chewing gum
• Cleaners for machines, leather and removing grease from clothes
• Cosmetics eg eyeshadow, mascara, rouge, hair pomade and transparent soaps, sunscreens
• Dental floss, Dental cements and impression pastes
• Depilating (hair-pull wax) agent
• Diapers, incontinence pads & feminine hygiene products
• Disinfectants and insecticides
• Fireworks
• Floor coverings (adhesive) e.g. linoleum
• Glues eg postage stamps
• Grease (axle) and lubricants
• Match Tip
• Medicaments – as a preservative, adds adhesive properties to ointments and creams e.g. wart removers, nappy creams, cold sore cream
• Newspaper
• Ostomy appliance
• Paints
• Paper Products (largest single use) – adds water resistance, glossy paper, photographic paper, can labels
• Pens – felt tip & artist pens
• Polish for floors, furniture, shoes and cars
• Polythene (polyethylene)
• Printing – inks, paper & photograph
• Resins eg epoxy resin
• Rubber – synthetic
• Sawdust and resins of pine and spruce
• Sealants
• Shoes (adhesives) and clothing
• Soldering fluxes and soldering agents
• Solvents
• Stains
• Surface coatings eg price labels, rust-proofing,
• Tacky substances – to prevent slipping eg athletic grips, sports handles (golf, tennis)
• Varnishes
• Waterproofing agents eg. Cardboard
• Waxes

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After the 48 hours, and finally here comes the first reading and patches were taken off. For these 2 days, i felt slight itchiness behind my back so i guess there should be some redness or whatever that shows positive towards the allergens. But the nurse told me there’s no reaction so far, and all negative outcomes, OK, since i can’t see my back myself, so i guess it’s those tapes that causes the itchiness.

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Patch test is a skin contact allergy test, which is able to identify what kind of external items that make contact with your skin causes allerginess and irritation. I took an early visit to hospital today to do the patch test that was scheduled last monday by my skin doctor. The allergens are mixed with a non-allergic material (base) to a suitable concentration. They are then placed, direct contact with the skin, usually on the upper back, within small aluminium discs. Adhesive tape is used to fix them in place, and the test sites are marked. I had 24 discs if i’m not mistaken. The patches are then left for 48 hours, not allowing to bath the back, or any aggressive actions which causes sweats and the possibilities of tapes peel off, any of this would affect the results. First reading will be done after 48 hours and second reading after 96 hours, which means i have to go back to the hospital alternate days for the study. We’ll see what’s the outcome again the day after next.

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