What Does Hypoallergenic Mean?

Filed in archive Allergy Basics , Skin Allergies on August 28, 2008

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Diane Diederich

We often see it on hygiene and skin care products- hypoallergenic. But what does it really mean? Apparently, not much.

In 1975, the FDA issued a regulation governing use of the term hypoallergenic, stating that a cosmetic product could be labeled hypoallergenic only if scientific studies on human subjects showed that it caused a significantly lower rate of adverse skin reactions than similar products not making such claims. The manufacturers of cosmetics claiming to be hypoallergenic were to be responsible for carrying out the required tests. But this regulation was subsequently declared invalid by U.S. courts, leaving manufacturers free to apply the term as they wish, without any required testing to prove that a product is hypoallergenic.

So although the term implies that a product may be less likely to trigger allergic reactions, one should take it with a grain of salt. In fact, I've seen a lot of so called hypoallergenic skin care products that contain nut oils, for example. So a careful look at the ingredients list might give you more of an insight than a stamp saying that it is hypoallergenic.

The bottom line is that the term hypoallergenic has very little meaning and is primarily used as a marketing tool. It's important to understand that it is impossible to guarantee that a cosmetic or skin-care product will never produce an allergic reaction. Since the FDA does require that cosmetic ingredients be listed on product labels, consumers who have had allergic reactions or problems with a specific substance can avoid purchasing products that contain these substances.