I know everyone is different and you can have an allergy to just about anything out there but it’s actually very rare to have a true allergic reaction to pure shea butter – what with it even being used to treat skin allergies and soothe irritated skin.
Scientific studies and research also show that true allergies to shea butter are rare. One such study (1) conducted to find out if people with tree nut allergies could have allergies to shea butter (also extracted from a nut) noted that there was no allergic reaction when shea butter was introduced to blood samples of people who had nut allergies. This is because there were no immunoglobulin E antibodies binding with the shea butter hence no allergy potential.
Even though there is no real documented evidence of allergic reactions to shea butter, there are some people who discover that it’s the shea butter that’s giving them the heebie-jeebies:
I Applied Shea Butter and My Skin/Hair Reacted Badly
People who say they’ve had an allergic reaction to shea butter usually get the following symptoms:
itchy skin, redness and rashes or if it’s for the hair, they say they experience flaky scalp issues, itchy scalp as well as hair shedding.
If you think you might be having an allergic reaction to shea butter, I suggest first investigating 4 main things:
- if your shea butter really is 100% pure shea butter
- what company it’s from
- if you’re not using the pure shea butter but a product containing shea butter, then if there are any other ingredients that could have triggered an allergic reaction
- and finally, the expiry date because it could have gone rancid
Now if you’re sure you’ve been using 100% pure shea butter on your skin, then we need to go deeper and explore other known causes of allergic reactions to shea butter:
What Could Have Caused your Allergic Reaction to Shea Butter?
1. Protein Content in Shea Butter
Although it’s rare, allergic reactions to this natural plant butter may happen because it contains protein which triggers allergy. However, the protein content in shea butter is a very small amount – about 1/30th of the protein in cashew nuts and an even lesser amount in peanuts so it doesn’t set off any negative reactions in people with nut allergies.
Another point to note is that most shea butter products contain refined, bleached and deodorized shea butter from which the protein has been removed in the refining process so it is absolutely allergenic-free. It’s the raw and unrefined shea butter that may still content protein, albeit a very insignificant amount.
Find out which shea butter your skin prefers by doing skin patch tests with both the refined and unrefined shea butter.
2. Shea Butter Latex Allergy
People with latex allergies (especially TYPE B latex allergy) may have a reaction to shea butter because it contains natural latex, which is interestingly also what gives it its moisture retaining properties. So if you’re sensitive to latex, then you might react to shea butter overtime.
3. Shea Nut Allergy
If you have tree nut allergies, then you might want to first do a skin patch test with a small sample of your desired shea butter product. This is because some people with nut allergies can use shea butter with no problems but a few others may find it skin irritating.
To do a patch test, simply rub a pea-sized amount of the product on your inner elbow and watch the area for about 4 hours. If you notice any weird skin reaction, just rinse the area thoroughly with warm water and soap and don’t apply the product on your body.
For more details on shea butter and nut allergies, please go to this post, ‘Shea Butter and Nut Allergies- What you need to Know.’
4. Sensitive Skin
Does your skin react to many beauty products including natural ones like those containing shea butter? It may be that your skin is just sensitive to shea butter, causing it to become red, itchy and irritated.
My advice is to check out other grades and types of shea butter: for example you could try using Shea butter Nilotica (a softer type of shea butter got from Shea trees only found in East Africa) or the refined shea butter to see if it’s okay for your skin.
If no shea butter product whatsoever works for you, then it’s not the end – try other awesome and luscious natural butters like mango butter or avocado butter! Other great emollients that promote healthy skin include grapeseed oil, apricot kernel oil, etc.
Final Remarks
To test if you might have any allergic reaction to shea butter or any other product on planet earth, please do a patch test first by rubbing a pea-sized amount of it on your inner wrist or elbow. Monitor the area for about 4 hours.
If you notice any uncomfortable skin irritation such as a rash developing, severe itchiness or redness, then immediately rinse the area thoroughly with warm water and a mild soap. Do not use the product on your body again.
Please check with a doctor if you’re allergic symptoms are severe, for example, breaking out in hives or skin swellings.
References
http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(10)01636-2/fulltext
Have you ever had an allergic reaction to shea butter? Please share your story below!
Alison says
I just figured out that shea butter is causing my discomfort and I am pretty excited that I now know. I had been using the same lotion for a year with no problems, and then I gave birth and my skin must have changed because suddenly I was covered in an itchy rash. I was also using a chapstick with shea butter in it so my lips were also feeling the burn. A Dr prescribed me a steroid cream and told me that the only time he’d seen a rash like mine was when someone was burning poison ivy. Not reassuring, but I am now all healed up and know to avoid shea butter in my skincare products at all costs!!
LBK says
If you are allergic to shea butter and/or cashews it is v÷ry likely you will also be very allergic to mango butter. They are all in the same plant family!!