Woman claims lash tech job triggered severe allergies to ‘everything’

By Hannah Van De Peer via SWNS

A former lash technician had to give up her job after it triggered an allergy to ‘everything’ - including fruit, alcohol, painkillers and antibiotics.

Silje Søndrål Reinertsen, 22, suffers from chronic urticaria angioedema - an autoimmune condition which causes her face to swell and break out in hives during an allergic reaction.

Initially she was triggered by the ingredients in lash glue - but before long, “anything and everything” would cause a flare-up.

Now, she has to carry an EpiPen around 24/7 - and quit the job she spent £29k training for.

Silje, from Stavangar, Norway, said: “Doctors can’t say for sure what triggers my allergies - it can be anything and everything.

“I was constantly scared at the beginning of my health journey - I was afraid of how much my allergies were impacting my life.

“It’s so difficult not knowing what exactly I’m allergic to - I could be out with friends and they’d all-of-a-sudden tell me my face had completely swollen.”

When she was 17, Silje took an intensive three-day course in eyelash extensions - it cost her £29k (40,000 Norwegian Krone) to complete.

A self-proclaimed “lash addict,” she believed this was her dream career - and started working as a lash technician from her home.

But just one year into her job, she started seeing bizarre side-effects to the glue she would use - including blemishes all over her face, a runny nose and a sore throat - which felt like it was closing up.

And the allergies began to be triggered by other, everyday items - like face moisturizer, paracetamol and orange juice.

Silje, who now studies graphic design at the University of Stavangar, said: “I didn’t realize how strong the glue would be - and that it releases chemicals into the air. I was working from home, so I never got a break from it.

“I had blemishes all over my face, my throat was closing, my nose was running - I was sick, all the time.

"I was once out shopping and my friend pointed my face out - I didn't know that it had totally swollen.

“I’d swell up and I didn’t understand what was going on - even after drinking my morning orange juice.”

Silje’s symptoms began to get worse within two weeks - and her entire face began to swell in reaction to her triggers.

She’d take antihistamines to help with the swelling - but for the most part, it was a matter of waiting it out.

She even found she’d become allergic to antibiotics, after she was prescribed them for a UTI in 2020.

“After taking the antibiotics, my entire body felt like it was on fire,” Silje added. “I was just itching constantly, I didn’t understand it.

“I went to the ER at Haukeland Hospital - they were shocked at the way I looked.

“They worked out I’d become allergic to antibiotics - but I had to continue taking them because I needed them for my UTI - I had high levels of CRP (C-reactive protein), which meant most of my body was inflamed by the infection and the allergies.

“I just needed to get well.”

Despite being newly allergic to antibiotics and over-the-counter painkillers, Silje continued taking them to fight her health condition - alongside antihistamines.

When she got another UTI just one week later, she had a similar reaction which left her in A&E again.

She said: “It just looked horrendous - my face was burning and itching - it feels like there’s a lot of pressure on it, too.

“It’s really sore, and it makes me feel like I can’t breathe - despite my oxygen levels being fine.”

In 2020, Silje finally decided to see her GP about her symptoms - and what she could do to alleviate them.

She was told she needed to start making big lifestyle changes as soon as possible - including changing career paths.

“It was the stress of my job, as well as the glue. We thought it might be the latex at first - but after trying non-latex glue, it still gave me a reaction.

“I was really disappointed to end my career as a lash technician - and really afraid of losing out on stability.

“But I knew I needed to do it for my health.”

Silje also cut out citrus fruits, paracetamol, antibiotics and alcohol - among other things, as well as taking antihistamines four times a day and carrying an EpiPen around with her at all times.

Everything Silje is allergic to:

1. Lash glue
2. Paracetamol and other painkillers
3. Antibiotics
4. Raw citrus fruits
5. Fruit juices
6. Moisturizer and other facial creams
7. Alcohol