Understanding Skin Allergies: Contact Dermatitis
Have you ever broken out in a skin rash after wearing latex gloves? Do certain rings and bracelets leave your skin itchy and dry? If so, you might have skin allergies.
Cosmetics, metals, drugs, and chemicals are the most common causes of skin allergies (also known as contact dermatitis). Allergic individuals will experience pain, itching, eczema, or even hives whenever their skin is exposed to an allergen. That’s because their immune systems react to the allergen by producing histamines. These chemicals cause swelling and inflammation at the site of the contact.
This uncomfortable condition can be prevented by reducing the amount of contact you have with the allergen. Since most skin allergies result from on-the-job contact, you might have to take extra precautions like protecting your hands with hypoallergenic gloves.
When your skin allergy has been triggered, there are several treatments you can use to find relief. The most basic is a good non-alkaline cleanser followed with a gentle application of hydrocortisone cream.
For more significant reactions, an oral antihistamine might be needed. Over-the-counter antihistamines include Tagamet, Benadryl, and Chlor-Trimeton. These drugs counteract the histamines that the body produces, bringing down swelling and allowing the allergy sufferer to breathe easier. They can result in drowsiness.
Severe allergic reactions require a doctor’s care. The physician might administer oral steroids or prescription-strength antihistamines. They could also choose to inject these drugs for faster delivery. Steroids, such as prednisone, can cause weight gain and other undesirable side effects.
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that severely restricts the patient’s air passages. If this occurs, the doctor can use injectable epinephrine to force the airways open. Luckily, anaphylaxis due to skin allergies is very rare.
Some of the most common skin allergens include metals (gold and nickel); cosmetic ingredients (balsam, formaldehyde, and artificial colors and fragrances); topical antibiotics (neomycin and bacitracin); and chemicals and preservatives (thimerasol, quaternium 15, and cobalt chloride).
It’s much more efficient to prevent skin allergies than to treat them. If you can avoid contact with your skin allergens, do so. If you can’t avoid it altogether, protect your skin and reduce the contact as much as possible.
