Patch testing at home

[GazeboLantern]

I have dermatitis triggered by specific allergens, confirmed by NHS patch testing several years ago. It's generally very well controlled by avoiding the allergens. I'm getting occasional breakouts again, and suspect certain products - despite the fact that they don't contain my known allergens. The dermatologist did warn me that I was likely to develop more allergies.

Can I do a patch test at home? Any tips?

My memory of patch testing is many years ago. I suppose you could do an adapted version by putting a blob on your skin and covering for a few days. Alternatively you could stop using them, one by one, and see how your skin reacts - which might be less hassle (I remember not being able to wash during testing in a heatwave!)

It takes a very long time for my skin on my face to heal after a flare-up. It can continue flaring and calming long after I have stopped using the allergen. I suspect that this is because I'm also allergic to sunlight.

I was thinking of trying a patch test on my arm, as it is less sensitive than my face and I can shield it from the sun more easily.