Distinguishing Between Inhalant And Epidermal Allergens

Allergens are substances that are rejected or denied entrance into the body by the immune system, that ever reliable body system that protects you from infection and diseases.

It is important to note that allergens cause the most common prevalent and wide spread allergies around the world. Without allergens, there would never be allergies.

But a world without allergens would be impossible. Allergens are everywhere. Most of them can even be found right there were you are located right now, or even in your most secure room.

Allergens are not germs. Contrary to common and mistaken notions especially among old people, allergens are not like virus and bacteria that most commonly cause severe diseases and ailments like colds, flu, cough and infections.

Unlike viruses and bacteria, allergens are not living organisms. They do not even have cells to start with.

Allergies cause and brought about by allergens are not ailments or diseases, to correct the common beliefs. Allergies are mere defensive reactions of the body's immune system to exposure to allergens, which would be identified in this article later.

The immune system has ways of rejecting unwanted and unlikely substances and organisms attempting to enter into the body's streams.

For example, when virus or bacteria starts attacking your body, the reliable immune system has a reflex or defense mechanism in the form of fever.

Fevers are not diseases. It can be really uncomfortable and annoying but they are only herald of a more serious ailment or illness coming your way.

Fevers are body reactions and attempt to reject and eliminate virus and bacteria that tries to attack. Biologically, the immune system raises the body's temperature in a bid to kill the infecting microorganism.

Allergens

The immune system also do the same when allergens try to enter into the body's systems. Because allergens, in the form of inhalant and epidermal allergens, are not living microorganisms, the immune system does not raise the temperature to generate fever.

Instead, the immune system acts in the form of allergy in a bid to eliminate and destroy inhalant and epidermal allrgens.

There are two basic groups of allergens that arouse or initiate allergies in the body. There are allergens which are classified as inhalant allergens and there are those known collectively as epidermal allergens.

Inhalant allergens are allergens that are inhaled. Inhalent allergens take the form of very small and miniscule dust or dust particles which get into your body through the nose and occasionally, through the mouth.

Breathing, is the primary target of inhalant allergens. Common examples of inhalant allergens are dust, dust mites, feathers, furs and animal danders.

Inhalent allergies are determined by symptoms that usually take the form of asthma and other breasting allergies. Usually, the person affected by inhalant allergens experience difficulty in breathing, sore throat and cough which are all body mechanisms against inhalant allergens.

Allrgies caused by inhalant allergens are usually treated with the drug antihistamine, which should be taken in moderate and controlled dosages.

Epidermal allergens

The second prevalent and common form of allergens is epidermal allergen.

Epidermal allergen, as the name suggests, are substances that induce allergies whose symptoms occur in the skin.

Epidermal allergens are usually in the form of chemicals, substances or enzymes that cause allergic reaction when touching the skin.

Examples of epidermal allergens are cosmetics, which contains chemicals and harsh fragrances, and harmful and allergy-causing active ingredients of soaps.

Epidermal allergens usually cause allergies that are characterized by swelling, redness and itchiness of the affected skin area.

Allergies caused by epidermal allergens are treated by taking in antihistamines and using specially formulated ointments.

Prevention for allergies caused by both inhalant and epidermal allergens can be prevented by avoiding sources of such allergens like, for the case of inhalant allergies, dogs, cats, birds and dusts, and for the case of epidermal allergens, cosmetics and chemicals.