Talking Allergies

I called Proctor and Gamble today to ask about "arachidic acid" which is in their Infusium 23 "shape and hold" hairspray as well as in their Infusium leave-in treatment. found out that, yes, "arachidic acid" is a fatty acid derived from peanuts. I'm not 100% sure whether I had a reaction---I got a small hive after using the leave-in treatment. It might not be related because I do get hives sometimes....it's hard to tell. In any case, I'm throwing out both products, and will keep an eye out for 'arachidic acid' in other cosmetic products!

Speaking French, I always raised an alarm when I saw Arichic since Arachide is the way to say peanut in French.

I had heard about that on another site. I called Proctor and Gamble and they said not to use infusium if allergic to peanuts. They then sent me a full refund for both my conditioner and shampoo.

Ali

Does anyone know if Procter and Gamble has any plans to put an allergy label on those products to warn people?? It would definitely be a nice gesture on their part since I don't think it's mandatory.

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SAHM of 3 children. Oldest DS (1999) is anaphylactic to peanuts.

I suggested that they label their products more clearly, and the person I spoke to said she would certainly pass on my suggestion. I suspect though that products with "peanut" on the label won't sell as well as products with peanut not on the label. I personally think we'll have to wait until the laws for labelling products changes....but it would be nice if they changed the label voluntarily.

It would also be nice if they could find an alternative to using nuts in their products. There has to be SOMETHING else they could use. Of course it all comes down to the almighty dollar. I guess we need to hope that peanuts will suddenly become a very hot commodity and nobody will be able to afford to use them anymore. Anybody know any peanut farmers?

I think I'll email Proctor and Gamble and voice my concerns too. The more we complain the more likely they'll see there's a need for better labelling of their products.

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SAHM of 3 children. Oldest DS (1999) is anaphylactic to peanuts.

Yay! Peanut allergy activism in action. Allergic people in the world unite! Lisa

Wow, I didn't know that about Infusium. I use it all the time. I checked the list of ingredients and arachidic acid is there! I can't believe I never noticed that. I'm not allergic to peanuts but my son is. And I don't like keeping anything in the house that is a potential risk. I won't be using this product again. I'll be sure to contact them and ask for better labelling!

The more people complain the better

Here's the link to email Proctor & Gamble (P&G Canada):

http://pgcanadaen.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/ ... er/ask.php

OK, I emailed my complaint. I'll let you know what their reply is.

Here's P&G's reply:

Thank you for contacting us. We apologize for the delay in responding to your letter. We appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your experience with Infusium 23 Leave-In Treatment.
Your letter will be shared with the brand managers, research scientists, quality control specialists, consumer representatives and the entire product team. We can assure you, they will take your comments seriously and include them with other consumer responses in evaluating the product.

We make every effort to provide the highest quality products and services for our customers. We are sending you a refund. We hope you accept our offer along with our apology for any inconvenience you were caused. You should receive your check via postal mail within 14 days.


The Consumer Affairs Team

Hi kids!

Thanks for the welcome. Earlier today, I was questioning whether it was a good idea for me to join this forum. I was concerned that it might be more detrimental psychologically than helpful. I just read the posts about Infusium, and got an answer. I use the same product all of the time and it is sitting out on my dressing table in my bedroom where my son can easily access it.

Thanks so much for the heads up! It is going in the garbage now. The link for Proctor and Gamble is also helpful. As soon as I am done writing this I will also let them know that I will no longer be using this product. I am being very vocal with all of these manufacturers because the only way they are going to change is if they think they will lose money by not doing so. I know that sounds a bit pessimistic but I think multinationals, most of them at least, are driven by profit margin and the bottom line. I guess it is time for me to go through everything in the house that is not obvious and make sure I am maintaining a safe environment for my son.

Scary stuff! Does anyone know about any types of bar soap that have peanut ingredients? We don't have a regular brand that we use and my son is just now starting to use it in the tub. He had eczema when he was younger so we have only used shampoo on his hair until recently.

Thanks,

Shelly

Shelly, I agree with your comments 100%.

I'd also like to thank Helen for bringing this issue to our attention and for helping me make my home a safer place.