Skin Allergies

Common Types of Skin Allergies:

• Contact Dermatitis: Caused by direct contact with an allergen or irritant. It can be allergic (due to a specific immune response) or irritant  reaction (due to direct chemical damage to the skin). Common triggers include soaps, detergents, fragrances, metals (like nickel), and certain plants (e.g., poison ivy). Repetitive exposure to such substances causes more severe reactions leading to thickening and hardening of skin.
• Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema): A chronic, inflammatory condition often associated with a genetic predisposition and other allergic conditions like asthma or hay fever. It causes dry, itchy, and inflamed patches on the skin, commonly on the face, elbows, knees, and hands.It can start in childhood, sometimes in adult life. There can be shifts from respiratory allergies to gut allergies to skin allergies. The course of the disease tends to be chronic and relapsing, often necessitates an expert care by dermatologists.
• Hives (Urticaria): Raised, itchy welts on the skin that can be triggered by food, medications, insect stings, or infections.
  It affects about 20% of the world's populationHives can be acute (lasting less than six weeks) or chronic (lasting more than six weeks). Sometimes it can subside from months to years and reoccur on a later date.
  Acute areas are commonly triggered by viral infections, especially in children, but also seen in adults. Common infections include upper respiratory tract, infection, infections, and digestive tract infections. This usually follows an episode of fever or diarrhoea, rarely urinary tract infection. Acute area is relatively easy to treat as it subside. Once the infection gets treated.
  Chronic urticaria is either spontaneous or inducible. While the chronic spontaneous attic area has no identifiable triggers, the chronic inducible urticaria has definite and specific triggers that lead to signs and symptoms. Chronic autoimmune urticaria is associated with auto reactivity, including immune mediated IGE receptor antibodies. This could be associated with infections like H. Pylori, a bacteria causing gastritis.
  Physical urticaria includes the ones that are triggered by cold, pressure, heat, vibration. is a subtype where variation in the body temperature triggers hives. Aquagenic urticaria is a sub type that is triggered by water. Contact urticaria is triggered by a substance which can be anything, including plants, and certain chemicals.
  Though this condition is not lethal, it impacts the patients quality of life. Is a stepwise approach to the treatment of vert area, starting with the non-sedative second generation antihistamines., omalizumab and cyclosporine.
• Angioedema: It is similar to hives but occurs in the deeper layers of the skin. It usually affects the eyes, lips, throat, and sometimes the genitals, causing swelling. It happens due to the fluid leakage into the skin caused by allergic reactions. At times, it can be life threatening when it involves the respiratory tract. In children, infection is the most common reason for  angioedema. Hereditary form of angioma can be associated with more severe attacks and may be associated with H pylori infection and complement deficiencies (C1 Esterase deficiency)
• Photoallergic Reactions: These are triggered by sunlight interacting with certain chemicals or medications applied to or taken by the body, leading to an allergic reaction on the skin. Some medications can cause this type of allergy. Typically, the rashes are seen in sun exposed areas of the body.

Treatment Options:

• Avoidance of Triggers: Identifying and avoiding allergens that cause reactions.
• Topical Steroids: Creams or ointments that reduce inflammation and itching.
• Antihistamines: Medications that help reduce itching and allergic responses. It is necessary to take these medications for a few days as advised by your dermatologist.
• Moisturizers: They help to keep the skin hydrated, especially in conditions like eczema.
• Oral Steroids or Immunosuppressants: For severe cases, under medical supervision.
• Allergen Immunotherapy: For long-term management, especially in severe or chronic cases.

It's essential to consult a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and tailored treatment, especially if the allergy is severe or persistent. We at Subodha Skin and Cosmetic clinic, the best dermatology clinic in Bangalore, try to find out the underlying cause of skin allergy and customize the treatment accordingly. Each patient with allergy has different triggers and our expert dermatologists take a detailed history before arriving at a management plan. some blood tests and skin allergy tests may be advised depending on the need to arrive at a proper diagnosis.