Skin Allergy: Symptoms, What to do and How it is Diagnosed

Skin allergy is an inflammatory reaction that can manifest itself in different regions of the skin such as hands, feet, mouth, arms, armpits, neck, legs, back or belly, causing symptoms such as redness, itching and white or reddish skin rashes. In addition to this, in some cases the skin allergy can trigger other problems such as allergic inflammation.

The skin allergy can have different causes such as allergy to the deodorant , allergy to some medicine or compound, to the sun, to the bites of insects and even to the sunscreen, so its treatment must be carried out with the use of antihistamines such as desloratadine or ebastine, which should be indicated by the dermatologist or allergist.

Main Symptoms

The main symptoms of skin allergy include:

• Itch;
• Redness;
• Peeling;
• Irritation;

Presence of reddish or white spots or rashes.
These symptoms may appear a few minutes after contact with a substance that can cause hypersensitivity, called an allergen, but it can also take several hours and even days to fully develop. So it is important to try to remember the objects or substances that were in contact with the affected region in the last 3 days to try to identify the cause.

In the most serious and less common cases, skin allergy can cause more severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing and throat discomfort, being very important in these cases to go to the hospital emergency or call an ambulance, because they are symptoms of a possible anaphylactic shock .

What Should You do When Symptoms Arise

When the first symptoms of allergy appear it is important to take some measures as soon as possible, first of all the affected skin region should be washed with plenty of water and soap with neutral pH. Then you can use hypoallergenic products on the skin that have soothing substances such as creams or lotions with chamomile or lavender to relieve discomfort and soothe skin irritation, also helping to keep it hydrated.

In addition to this, thermal water is also an excellent option to use in these situations, because it moisturizes the skin and reduces itching and irritation.

However, if after washing and hydrating the skin the symptoms continue and do not disappear completely after 2 hours or get worse in this period of time, the ideal is to consult the dermatologist as soon as possible to be evaluated and so that the doctor indicate the treatment to follow.

What Can Cause Allergy

Skin allergy can have various causes that include:

• Insect bites;
• Sweat;
• Imitation jewelry;
• Food poisoning;
• Medications or food;
• Plants or hairs of animals;
• Clothe, belt or some types of fabric such as wool or jeans;
• Irritating substances or materials such as detergent, laundry soap, beauty and cosmetic products, makeup, shampoo, deodorant, body wash, soaps, wax or even hair removal cream.

The skin allergy can manifest itself causing various symptoms, being very important to identify the cause of the allergy so that it can be avoided.

Skin Allergy Treatment

The recommended treatment for skin allergy should be indicated by the dermatologist or allergist and the type of treatment will depend on the intensity of the symptoms. Generally the treatment is performed with the use of antihistamines such as desloratadine or ebastine, however, the doctor may also consider the use of corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone or mometasone in the form of creams, ointments, syrups or tablets to relieve and treat the symptoms of allergy.

In addition to this, in cases where itching is very intense the doctor may recommend the use of an allergy ointment that hydrates the skin, relieves itching and redness.

How to Know if it is a Skin Allergy

The diagnosis of skin allergy can be made by a dermatologist or allergist, who evaluate the symptoms present in the skin. In some cases the diagnosis can be confirmed through an allergy test, which consists of applying (usually in the back) different substances known to cause skin allergies, leaving them to act between 48 to 72 hours. It is also possible to make small bites on the arm, observing the response after 15 or 20 minutes, or perform an allergy blood test.

After the indicated time, the doctor will observe if the test was positive or negative, observing if redness, itching or some skin rashes arose, thus identifying the agent responsible for causing the allergy. Blood tests can also indicate a cause for allergy.

Is Skin Allergy more Common in Pregnancy?

Skin allergy during pregnancy can occur due to various hormonal and immune system disorders that occur naturally during this period, which can make the pregnant woman more sensitive to the appearance of an unwanted skin allergy.

In these cases it is recommended that you try to soothe the skin with creams or lotions that help relieve discomfort and skin irritation, being recommended to consult the dermatologist or allergist as soon as possible.

Generally the skin allergy during pregnancy does not harm the baby, however if the symptoms of the allergy are very intense it is recommended to go to the hospital.