A Sydney skin specialist recently told delegates at the  Australasian College of Dermatologists’ Annual Scientific Meeting that Australians are the world's worst allergy hypochondriacs, believing they have a sensitivity to food when they do not.  Professor Connie Katelaris, Professor of Immunology and Allergy at Campbelltown Hospital, maintains that women are more likely than men to attribute a skin condition due to a food reaction.

Most often the skin condition is due to another cause, however it appears that attributing the reaction to food allergy provides the sufferers with a tangible reason.  While dermatologists in Australia see many rashes a day, it is apparently rare that they see any related to food allergies. Allergic reactions affecting the skin are more common in children, with most outgrowing their allergies by adulthood.