Ink Suggestion For Hypersensitive (Allergic) Person

[Honeybadgers]

Absolute literal worst case scenario... You can use straight food dye as a pretty safe ink.

[Cane]

I will have to try a few brands to see, what type of ink, if any, that I won't react to.

[Cane]

@Honeybadgers

Didn't see your reply. I guess I could, but there is mainly two reasons for me to use ink. Number one, is because I find black to be an easy color to read (I use softer graphite leads to get a darker line and less scratchy feeling). Number two, whould be to get permanent text/drawings. Neither graphite, nor food dye fits that bill.

 

I know that fountain pen ink is water based, but isn't it a little thicker than water & food dye would be?

[Honeybadgers]

I've seen it work just fine. It can be thicker, sometimes. Sometimes not.

 

I really don't think you should have any problem with a well known ink manufacturer. I'm a paramedic and I've never in my life seen pen ink of any kind as a trigger for allergic response.

 

If you're concerned about anaphalyxis and know your allergens, email the ink manufacturers. Ask them if your known allergen is in their ink and they will tell you if they know. The people who would know would be Nathan of Noodlers, since he makes his own inks, mont blanc, pelikan, pilot, platinum, sailor, J. Herbin, aurora, lamy and diamine will almost certainly all be able to tell you if your known allergen is in the ink. They likely won't tell you EXACTLY what is in it in a complete list due to trade secrets, but if you have a known allergen, they will have no problem sharing.

 

If you don't have an anaphylactic response to anything that could be in ink, just get ink samples and dip your finger or do a scratch test for colors you like. I'd say avoid scented inks since they are most likely the ones prone to causing an allergic response. Most dyes and pigments are pretty hypoallergenic.

[Cane]

I have never had an anaphylactic reaction to anything. But I can assure you that I react to probably at least 100 different chemicals (and there are probably 1000s of products that contain at least one of them). The list is constantly growing, but it is hard to actually know what I react to. Ideally you would need every single ingredients separately, but then of course a reaction may only happen in a combination to...

 

Let's take an example. I started researcting to my toothpaste. At first it was because of my sensitivity to mint/menthol (something I obviously didn't have before I got sick), so I switched to a toothpaste without any added taste. It worked for a while, but then my eyes started reacting to my own exhale (it would last for approximately 30 minutes, after each time I would brush my teeth).

The reaction was similar to when you cut an onion.

 

What did I react to? I didn't know. So I talked to a dentist, that recommended me to try to brush my teeth with a specific mouthwash. It only contained:

Aqua, Sorbitol, Sodium Fluoride, Sodium Benzoate and Citric Acid.

 

I reacted to it to... I was beginning to wonder if I was reacting to the Fluoride. But then I remembered having seen Sorbitol as an ingredient in candy, chewing gum and breath mints all of which I also reacted to... I read about it, and what do you know, it is a sugar alcohol, and I had already reacted to alcohol before.

 

Going back and looking at the tasteless toothpaste. It contains both Sorbitol and Xylitol. Both are sugar alcohols.

Of course I didn't get an answer to, if my body did react to the Fluoride to. But any type of alcohols is a big no-no.

That is also a huge problem, when I have to go to the doctor/hospital because they clean everything with alcohol (their hands, all surfaces etc).

I can't smell it, touch it or drink it.

 

This is only one single thing, but as you can see, it exists every where... Now take that times 100 and life is pretty complicated.

 

There is also a very problematic thing. I can have an object next to me, every day for let's say, a year. Never a problem. I take a walk, and I happen to cross paths with a person with way to much perfume, and unfortunately for me, I react to at least one ingredients.

I go home, and al of a sudden, the thing that I have never reacted to before, now I do. It has happened more times then I can count. That's why it is very dangerous for me to try new things. I never stop reacting to the new things, it just adds on top of everything else I am already sensitive to...

[Noihvo]

[Cane]

@Nohivo, yes I do know about the desk pen. But as you said, it isn't really portable. Could be a nice pen to try inks with though, if it can take a converter.

Do you know if it does?

[Noihvo]

@Nohivo, yes I do know about the desk pen. But as you said, it isn't really portable. Could be a nice pen to try inks with though, if it can take a converter.

Do you know if it does?

 

[Cane]

Thanks Nohivo.