Allergic Dermatitis Induced by Neomycin and Staph

You can start out by reading this:  "Allergy to Neomycin."

In February 2003 I got a small patch of eczema on my wrist.  I attributed it to stress and relaxing from a relatively gluten-free diet.  Well, to treat the small patch of eczema, I put just a little bit of triple antibiotic ointment.  Within a week ... my hands, forearms and face were covered with eczema.  Eyes swollen, skin looked like it had a chemical burn with allergic-looking red bumps, then it would get scaly, dry and itch.  Major eczema outbreak.   I didn't realize .... I did it to myself ... 30% of people with eczema are allergic to Neomycin, which is an ingredient in triple antibiotic ointments.

Irritant Dermatitis vs. Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is divided into two classes:  irritant dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis.   Irritant dermatitis is injury due to a non-allergic reaction from direct contact of an irritating substance with the skin such as alkalis, acids, and various hydrocarbons like paraffins and mineral oils.  Neomycin, Benzocaine, and Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride preparations are the topical medications that most commonly cause allergic contact dermatitis.

Neomycin Allergy

Neomycin is usually combined with Polymixin B sulfate and Bacitracin Zinc in over-the-counter antibiotic ointments. Neomycin skin sensitivity was first reported in 1952 by Baer and Ludwig, and contact dermatitis due to Neomycin is most commonly seen in people with atopy; but, nonatopic patients are also vulnerable.  Allergic contact dermatitis is estimated at 30% in patients with prolonged Neomycin exposure (e.g., those with stasis dermatitis).1

American Academy of Dermatology Warning

The AAD warns: Neomycin is a common allergen found in both prescription and non-prescription topical antibiotic creams, ointments, lotions, ear drops, and eye drops. It is also used in combination with other topical antibiotics, topical steroids and in first aid creams. Neosporin, triple antibiotic creams, and ointments contain neomycin. People who are allergic to neomycin and treat their cuts, abrasions, rashes, and poison ivy dermatitis with over-the-counter creams containing neomycin, frequently develop neomycin induced dermatitis.2

What to Use Instead

Some people use  Polysporin instead, which doesn't have neomycin.  From www.dermadoctor.com "Apply Polysporin Ointment into the splits twice a day. Do not use any topical antibiotic ointment that contains neomycin which is a notorious skin sensitizer and cause of contact dermatitis.  Red Palm Oil also helps fight infection and so does olive leaf extract.

Staph Infected Eczema

A letter from a visitor of Eczema.Net:

Thank you for thinking of me. My eczema continued to worsen until “peaking” at its worst ever about 10 days ago when I was in Virginia for a visit to my parents. They were so worried about me that they took me to their dermatologist.  She looked at me in one second and said, “Oh my, you are infected!”.  I started Doxycycline that day, have been on it for 10 days and my skin is PERFECT (I mean seriously from 100 percent body coverage, even eyes and vagina, to 100 percent perfect) for the first time in over a year. She did a skin culture just to be sure. And the results showed I had an extra high staph count. Not the kind of staph that lands you in the hospital but the kind that just makes your eczema worsen all over your body.

This CURE for me is nothing short of a miracle and yet SOOOOO simple. None of the other docs/derms treated me this way over the last year. It was always prednisone and then topicals. I didn’t look infected to myself or the uninformed observer, but I was.  I read some research in a Jewish Medical Journal (??) that states that some eczema patients don’t have natural antibiotics in their skin and the staph irritates and affects them, almost like an allergen and therefore antibiotic treatment is recommended ....

Warm Regards,
Kelly (May 2008)

Here's another follow-up from a different person:

I actually don’t have eczema, it was just a skin allergy. I have cleared up now since taking the antibiotics. Thank you for telling me to go to the doctors to check it out. I always thought I had eczema!!  

Jenny
Sydney, Australia (May 2008)