Using skin care products that contain food products such as goat's milk should be avoided by individuals with inflammatory skin conditions, suggests the findings of a recent study.

The research was published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy. The study reports on seven patients with inflammatory skin conditions who experienced anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction, after ingesting goat's or sheep's milk or cheese products.

All of the patients had a history of using goat's milk skin products to treat their inflammatory skin conditions prior to the onset of their allergic reaction. "Marketing of skin products derived from goat's milk is extensive and targeted to patients with 'sensitive skin' who commonly have underlying inflammatory skin conditions," the authors wrote.

"Our findings provide novel evidence of the origins of adult-onset milk allergy and add to the growing body of evidence that the use of foodstuffs as therapy for inflammatory skin conditions can lead to the development of new food allergies," they added