Skin allergies are widespread, accounting for more than 5.7 million doctor visits annually. Redness, itchiness, and hives might all point towards a possible skin allergy, however, irritation can be caused by many factors. If you are experiencing a mysterious rash or skin irritation, it’s important to have an evaluation with one of our Houston Skin board-certified dermatologists or skin care experts to determine the cause and which medical dermatology treatments can give you relief.
Read below for more information on common skin allergies and the effective treatments we use at Houston Skin.
What Causes Skin Allergies?
What makes skin allergies so mysterious is that they can be caused by a wide range of factors and triggers including foods, certain medications, sensitivity to cosmetics and body care products, fragrances, laundry detergents, pet dander, pollutants, plants, pollen and even stress. There is even a genetic component where people who have a family member with skin allergies are more likely to also develop similar allergies.
What makes skin allergies so problematic is they also can cause a wide array of symptoms that can also vary from person to person. Some of the most common symptoms of skin allergies include:
- Hives or welts
- Oozing or weeping
In addition to these symptoms, sometimes skin allergies are also accompanied by a respiratory component, where a person experiences coughing, sneezing or even wheezing. For example, angioedema is an allergic reaction similar to hives that can affect the eyes as well as the throat and mouth, which can cause difficulty breathing.
Skin Allergy Treatment
Treating a skin allergy depends on identifying the correct allergen first. It’s important to seek an evaluation with one of our medical dermatologists at Houston Skin if you’re experiencing an allergic reaction to help detect what is triggering your reaction.
Usually, avoidance of the trigger is recommended in order to circumvent future negative reactions. However, when complete avoidance isn’t possible, there are specific treatments our practitioners will recommend to both manage and improve symptoms. For example, some topical creams and ointments can help relieve itching and inflammation.
In some cases, with allergies that cause a systemic reaction, oral medications may be needed to get improvement. Most often, a combination approach of topical and oral treatments offers our patients the best long-term outcomes for managing their skin allergies. Allergy shots can also be useful in managing allergy symptoms.
Some of the most common skin allergies include:
ALLERGIC CONTACT DERMATITIS
The most common type of skin allergy is contact dermatitis which occurs when your skin comes into direct contact with an allergen. Plants like poison ivy and poison oak can cause allergic contact dermatitis and the formation of a red, itchy rash. In this case, the allergic reaction comes from touching the oily coating that covers the plant’s leaves. Contact dermatitis can also be caused by touching certain clothing fibers, pets or even jewelry that is made from particular metals, like nickel.
ATOPIC DERMATITIS (ECZEMA)
Atopic dermatitis is often linked to asthma, hay fever or food allergies. It is one of the most common skin conditions, affecting both children and adults. Currently, about 17.8 million people suffer from atopic dermatitis which often appears as a red, itchy rash normally on the cheeks, arms, and legs.
Hives are an uncomfortable and sometimes painful allergy that occurs when the immune system is triggered to release histamine, which results in swelling of the skin. Hives have many causes including particular foods, heat, exercise, certain medications, insect bites or infections. While hives can cause discomfort, they are not contagious and are generally not dangerous.
Angioedema is another type of skin allergy that causes swelling in the deep layers of the skin. People that have angioedema may also often suffer from hives. Angioedema most commonly occurs in the soft tissues of the body, such as the eyelids, mouth or even genitals.
There are two types of angioedema: acute and chronic. Angioedema is considered an acute condition when it lasts a short time (from a few minutes to several hours). Most often acute angioedema is caused by an allergic reaction to certain foods or medications. The condition is considered chronic and recurrent if the angioedema recurs over a long period of time. In chronic cases, it is difficult to determine the trigger.
Madhara ya ngozi ni ya kawaida sana, na kila mwaka watu milioni 5.7 hutembelea daktari. Kuvu, kukwaruza, na kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu cha kibofu. Ikiwa una uzoefu wa mchochota wa siri au kuchochea ngozi, ni muhimu kuwa na tathmini na mmoja wa wataalamu wetu wa ngozi waliothibitishwa na bodi ya ngozi ya Houston ili kuamua sababu na matibabu ya ngozi ya matibabu yanaweza kukupa misaada. Soma hapa chini kwa habari zaidi juu ya mzio wa ngozi wa kawaida na matibabu yenye ufanisi tunayotumia katika Houston Skin. Ni Nini Husababisha Madhara ya Ngozi? Madhara ya ngozi yanaweza kusababishwa na sababu mbalimbali, ikiwa ni pamoja na vyakula, dawa fulani, unyeti kwa vipodozi na bidhaa za huduma ya mwili, harufu nzuri, detergents, pet dander, uchafuzi, mimea, chavua na hata mkazo. Kuna hata sehemu ya urithi ambapo watu ambao wana mwanachama wa familia na mzio wa ngozi ni uwezekano mkubwa wa pia kuendeleza mzio sawa. Kwa sababu ya hali ya ngozi, allergies inaweza kusababisha dalili mbalimbali ambazo zinaweza kutofautiana kutoka kwa mtu mmoja hadi mwingine. Baadhi ya dalili za kawaida za mzio wa ngozi ni pamoja na: - Hives au welts - Oozing au kulia - Mbali na dalili hizi, wakati mwingine mzio wa ngozi pia huambatana na sehemu ya kupumua, ambapo mtu hupata kikohozi, kikohozi au hata kikohozi. Angioedema ni athari ya mzio inayofanana na kibofu cha kibofu ambacho kinaweza kuathiri macho, koo na mdomo, na kusababisha shida ya kupumua. Matibabu ya Madhara ya Ngozi Matibabu ya mzio wa ngozi hutegemea kutambua kichocheo sahihi kwanza. Ni muhimu kutafuta tathmini na mmoja wa madaktari wetu wa ngozi katika Houston Ngozi kama wewe ni uzoefu athari ya mzio kusaidia kugundua nini ni triggering athari yako. Kwa kawaida, inashauriwa kuepuka kichocheo hicho ili kuepuka athari mbaya za wakati ujao. Hata hivyo, wakati kuepuka kamili si inawezekana, kuna matibabu maalum watendaji wetu kupendekeza wote kusimamia na kuboresha dalili. Kwa mfano, baadhi ya krimu na mafuta ya kawaida yanaweza kusaidia kupunguza kukwaruza na uvimbe. Katika visa fulani, kwa sababu ya mzio unaosababisha athari ya mfumo, huenda ikawa lazima kutumia dawa za mdomo ili kupata uboreshaji. Kwa kawaida, mbinu ya mchanganyiko wa matibabu ya ndani na ya mdomo hutoa wagonjwa wetu matokeo bora ya muda mrefu kwa usimamizi wa mzio wao wa ngozi. Chanjo za mzio zaweza pia kuwa zenye manufaa katika kudhibiti dalili za mzio. Allergy ya ngozi ya kawaida ni aina ya allergy ya ngozi ya mawasiliano, ambayo hutokea wakati ngozi yako inakuja katika mawasiliano ya moja kwa moja na allergen. Mimea kama vile poison ivy na poison oak inaweza kusababisha ugonjwa wa ngozi wa kuwasiliana na kuambukizwa na kuunda nywele nyekundu zinazochoma. Katika kisa hiki, mmenyuko wa mzio hutokana na kugusa tabaka la mafuta linalofunika majani ya mmea huo. Ugonjwa wa ngozi ya kuwasiliana unaweza pia kusababishwa na kugusa nyuzi fulani za nguo, wanyama wa kufugwa au hata vito vilivyotengenezwa kwa metali fulani, kama vile nikeli. Atopic dermatitis (ECZMA) ni ugonjwa wa ngozi unaosababishwa na ugonjwa wa pua, ugonjwa wa homa, au mzio wa chakula. Ni mojawapo ya magonjwa ya ngozi yanayowapata watoto na watu wazima. Kwa sasa, watu milioni 17.8 wanaugua ugonjwa wa ngozi unaoitwa atopic dermatitis, ambao mara nyingi huonekana kama mchochota mwekundu unaochoma kwenye mashavu, mikono na miguu. Hives ni aina ya mzio wa ngozi ambao hutokea wakati mfumo wa kinga unapojitahidi kutolewa histamine, ambayo huathiri ngozi. Uvimbe una sababu nyingi, ikiwa ni pamoja na vyakula maalum, joto, mazoezi, dawa fulani, kuumwa na wadudu au maambukizi. Ingawa kibofu cha chawa kinaweza kusababisha usumbufu, si cha kuambukiza na kwa kawaida si hatari. Angioedema ni aina nyingine ya mzio wa ngozi ambao husababisha uvimbe katika tabaka za ndani za ngozi. Watu walio na uvimbe wa damu ya moyo huenda pia wakawa na uvimbe wa tumbo. Angioedema huonekana katika tishu laini za mwili kama vile macho, mdomo, na hata viungo vya uzazi. Kuna aina mbili za uvimbe wa mishipa ya damu: ule wa haraka na ule wa muda mrefu. Angioedema inachukuliwa kuwa hali kali inapodumu kwa muda mfupi (kutoka dakika chache hadi saa kadhaa). Mara nyingi angioedema kali husababishwa na mmenyuko wa mzio kwa vyakula au dawa fulani. Hali hiyo huonwa kuwa ya kudumu na ya kurudia-rudia ikiwa uvimbe wa angioedema unarudi kwa muda mrefu. Katika visa visivyo na ugonjwa, ni vigumu kujua kisababishi.