Our skin is one of the most sensitive parts of our body and most exposed as well. It is easy for the skin to come in contact with various allergy-causing agents, which triggers reactions. 

While there may be multiple symptoms for skin allergy – irritated skin is the most common among those. To delve into what is skin allergy or what causes it, it will help if we look at the different types of skin allergies to understand it better. We are often unable to differentiate between types of allergies but knowing them helps us discuss with our doctors better.

• Eczema

Atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema, affects children more than adults. A common skin allergy symptom of eczema is dry, red, irritated and itchy skin. Urine infection, your skin may have small, fluid-filled bumps that ooze a clear or yellowish liquid.

Also Read: White Patches On Skin: Causes, Symptoms And Home Remedies

• Hives

Hives, also known as urticaria, are red bumps or welts that appear on the body. Differentiated into two types, acute urticaria and chronic urticaria, the former one only lasts for no more than six weeks, whereas the latter stays a little longer than six weeks. Although chronic urticaria’s cause is yet unknown, acute urticaria is predominantly caused by exposure to an allergen in food, medication or by an infection.

The best way to prevent allergies is to avoid allergens. You can also take antihistamines or other medications daily to help control your symptoms and reduce your allergic reaction. If you have animal allergies, avoid petting, hugging or kissing animals. Don’t allow them in your bedroom or on your furniture. Regularly vacuuming rugs, carpets and other surfaces helps remove dust, animal dander, pollen and other allergens. High-efficiency particulate (HEPA) air filters can also help. These air purifiers remove airborne allergens from your environment.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

• Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is a reaction that appears when the skin comes in contact with a foreign material that acts as an irritant or an allergen. Symptoms present themselves as rashes, blisters, itching or burning. Detergents, soaps and excessive exposure to water can cause contact dermatitis. Metals can also be one of the skin allergy causes, stainless steel and other alloys used in jewellery, adhesives, nail polish, topical medications, plants and latex gloves can act as allergens. It is usually presented by red and itchy skin.

At times, an allergen only causes a skin reaction when it is exposed to sunlight called photoallergic contact dermatitis. It can occur due to cosmetic products such as shaving lotion, sunscreen and perfumes.

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Skin allergy management

As allergies cannot be cured, prevention is the best way for skin allergy treatment. Determining or identifying the cause of your rash is important, so you can avoid it. Wearing Gloves can protect against skin allergy on the face, but if you are already infected, try to ease the symptoms and prevent further infection. Fight off the urge to scratch it as it will only worsen the problem and spread infection. Here’s a list of some skin allergy medication and home remedies that can help relieve the itching and stop the swelling:

• Hydrocortisone cream
• Ointments 
• Antihistamines
• Cold compresses

Most skin allergies aren’t life-threatening, but a condition called anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) can make it difficult to breathe resulting in fatal consequences. While this is usually rare in skin allergies, it’s best to talk to your doctor for a better allergy diagnosis and work out a management plan.

Also Read: Coping Strategies For Stress-Related Eczema On Hands: An Overview

For more information on how you can identify and manage your skin allergies, visit –  https://bit.ly/3pMnxFf

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