Skin Allergy

More commonly known as skin allergy, contact allergy occurs when a substance comes in contact with the skin and triggers reactions that are generally harmless. To explain it in simple terms, say for instance you have gold allergy, but you do not know this. You wear a gold bracelet and soon after, the wrist that is wearing the gold bracelet turns red and itchy. Gold, an allergen, caused your skin to become irritated by simply coming into contact with your skin.

But gold, however, may not cause the same allergic reaction to other people -- your mother or sister, for example. So how come gold causes your skin to become irritated? Blame it on your immune system that, for some reason, automatically thinks gold is a dangerous substance that it must fight off. So when gold comes in contact with your skin, your immune system reacts by producing antibodies, which in turn trigger nearby cells to release their defense chemicals. The physical manifestation of all these is skin allergy, commonly itchiness and redness.

Skin Allergy Symptoms

Itchiness is the most common skin allergy symptom. In addition, the itchy area would appear swollen and red, and may have rashes. Scratching can further irritate the already irritated area and cause the rashes to spread to other parts of the body. People with serious skin allergies tend to have rashes for months.

Common Skin Allergens

Skin allergies are caused by allergens such as medications (e.g., flavine, neomycin), metals (e.g., nickel in watch straps, fake silver or gold jewelry, any dirty objects that have metal, rusty tools, chrome in cement), and beauty and hygiene products (e.g., facial wash, moisturizer, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, perfume, hairspray, hair dye).

Allergy Tests

Most people are unaware that they have skin allergy until they come into contact with the allergens. There are three types of allergy tests to determine whether or not a person has skin allergies.

* Skin Prick Test: This allergy test is most commonly used because of the speed with which results come out. The skin prick test involves the doctor pricking the skin to see how it reacts to some allergens. The allergens used are based on the patient's medical history.

* Blood Test: A small amount of blood is drawn and diagnosed in the lab to see if an individual is allergic to certain allergens.

* Patch Test: This type of allergy test is usually done on people who have serious skin allergies such as contact dermatitis and eczema. The test involves placing a patch on to the skin for about 48 hours.

How to Avoid Skin Allergies

To avoid contracting skin allergies, keep external allergens from entering your home by closing your doors and windows. If you are cleaning outside, wear protective gear. Exercise extra caution when you are outside on a rainy or windy day.