After a long day at work, sometimes you just want to go straight to sleep without washing your face. Your solution: handy facial wipes. While it sounds like a good idea, a new study featured on Prevention.com reveals otherwise. Apparently, some facial wipes contain a preservative called methylisothiazolinone (MI), which scientists say may be responsible for the increase in dermatitis cases in the US.

“It’s unbelievable, and it’s by far the most significant allergen I’ve ever seen,” says Matthew Zirwas, MD, director of the contact dermatitis center at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center.

MI, voted 2013 allergen of the year by the American Contact Dermatitis Society, is not normally a big deal, as it can also be found in soap and hair products, but with these products, MI gets rinsed off. That is not the case with facial wipes.

Of course, not everyone will have an allergic reaction to MI, but for safety reasons, Prevention.com recommends reading the ingredients on your cosmetic and personal care purchases before using them. We also suggest consulting your dermatologist first before trying out a new skin care product.

(Photo by Kim Love via Flickr Creative Commons)