E-Liquid and PG (Propylene Glycol) Allergies – What to Know
Just like anything else ingested by the human body, different reactions can occur in certain individuals. Nicotine has been known to cause allergic symptoms in many smokers, with varying symptoms such as headaches, sinus congestion, rashes and hives, nausea, oral gum and tooth ailments and more. These same nicotine allergies can exist when ingesting e-liquid vapor or using nicotine gum and patches, since they contain similar nicotine content.
While most people allergic to nicotine became aware due to smoking tobacco, the symptoms do not carry over for everyone when switching to e-cigarettes or other nicotine alternatives, most probably because they do not contain hundreds of chemicals and tar carried by smoke from combusted tobacco plant material. Remember, each person is different and simply smoking one brand of cigarettes to another with a different ingredient list could be enough to cause a reaction. But we’re not here to talk about cigarettes.
With electronic cigarettes and e-liquids, the allergies people most often mention is that to PG or Propylene glycol that is often used a base in e-liquid. Propylene glycol was previously known to cause allergic reaction on the skin when used in cosmetic products, but the reactions still remain unpredictable, not always occurring and affecting a very small number of people, keeping many cases undetected for a long time. It is said that about 2% of the population is allergic to propylene glycol. PG is used in about half of all deodorants in different concentrations, and in a whole range personal care products.
A good indicator is if you are allergic to the fog smoke used in theatrical and nightclub settings for example, as it uses the same PG based liquid. The symptoms also vary but mostly constitute throat itching, headaches and nausea for mild cases and itchy rashes, hive breakouts and swelling in more severe cases. If you get any of these signs, you should cease using PG e-liquid for your e-cigarettes and preferably consult a doctor immediately.
It may also be that the reaction is not linked to propylene glycol at all, and can be caused by the nicotine or any of the artificial flavor ingredients used in that specific e-juice. Nicotine overdose will cause headaches, nausea and dizziness matched with increased blood pressure, the user will often get cold sweats. These indications tell you that you need to lay off for a bit or you will end up getting sick. PG is popularly used in e-liquid because it provides a stronger, rougher throat hit, while VG is soft and sweet. This often causes irritation in the throat of many users that are not accustomed to it, or sometimes after a period of time using it. There is no reason to panic at the sight of any of these symptoms, but instead take note and work to finding out the cause by process of elimination.
SEE ALSO:
What to Do If You Think You Have Suffered an Allergic Reaction
The first thing to do is to stop using e-cigarettes for at least a couple of days. It is important not to continue to intake anything that will worsen the allergy.
You must also immediately judge the severity of the reaction. If you have an irritated throat, light headedness or a very small skin outbreak, you do not need to immediately rush yourself to the emergency room. If you have a large outbreak of hives and swelling of your lips or face, it is crucial to go seek treatment to avoid any life threatening situations.
Switch to a 100% Vegetable Glycerine E-Liquid immediately. If you do suffer an allergic reaction, chances are you figure in the small percentage of people who are hypersensitive to PG. Many e-liquid makers and e-cigarette brands have opted to give the option to use 100% VG based e-liquid to avoid the problem for all customers. Many who like a hard throat hit will still favor a PG or PG/VG base mix.
If you only had a reaction after months or years of using PG based e-liquids, it is possible that the reaction is completely unrelated. Take note of any new flavors recently introduced and try to eliminate those in risk of being allergic to the artificial flavorings. It is important to consider any other possible causes, as well as the fact that allergies can also develop during later years in our lives, although not frequently.
For more information, we highly suggest the highly informative video offered on the MyPatchLink.com website, click the image below to open the video in a new window;
Conclusion
Allergies remain a sensitive subject among e-cigarette usage. Although the affected percentage of people is very small, it is important to cater to that audience and offer them quality 100% VG based e-liquids. Many e juice makers who offer VG based e-liquids still use a tiny percentage of PG to give a small kick to the throat hit, so it is important to be certain that the e-liquid is fully 100% vegetable glycerine. For that reason, we will start our research on all of our favorite e-juice brands and e-cigarette manufacturers to find out, compile and share with you a full list of companies offering 100% VG e-liquid in the next upcoming days. Stay tuned!