Understanding and Managing Common Skin allergies

Contact dermatitis is a fairly common form of allergy brought about by direct contact with a certain substances, such as those found in plants like Poison Ivy and metals such as nickel.  It is different from Atopic dermatitis, wherein symptoms such as skin rashes appear without any obvious causes.  Unlike atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis is considered by health professionals as a type of allergic condition and is not hereditary.  This type of allergy also worsens during the winter months.

Causes of contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis is caused by direct physical contact with certain items, such as:

- Certain plant varieties such as Poison oak and Poison Ivy
- Metals, particularly nickel which is used in jewelry
- Dyes and colorants
- Chemicals found in detergents, soaps and cleaning products
- Rubber, latex and certain plastics
- Cosmetics, fragrances and perfumes

Most allergic reactions related to the skin are not caused by the body's natural immune response that involves Immunoglobulin E or IgE.  In most cases, symptoms such as inflammation occurs only in the area where contact occurred.  However, there are some reactions that could trigger the production of IgE and produce reactions that appear at various areas of the body.

Symptoms of contact allergies
The most common symptom associated with contact allergies is the appearance of rashes.  These are red, swollen and itchy blisters that also cause a burning sensation.  If the allergy is a result of ingesting food or certain medications, it could lead to hives, a skin condition characterized by inflammation, redness, burning and itching.

Treating contact dermatitis means treating its symptoms.  The following steps can help:

- Wash the irritated area with cool or warm water and a hypoallergenic cleanser
- Shower using cool water
- Add oatmeal to bath water to soothe the irritation (Aveeno has a product that contains colloidal oatmeal that helps treat irritated skin)
- Apply lotions that contain anti-itching agents or 1% hydrocortisone
- Apply calamine lotion

If allergic reaction is caused by drugs or medication, symptoms usually appear as small, pin-sized reddish spots that resemble Measles rash.  These rashes tend to appear on the torso, arms and legs, usually a few days after ingestion of the drug that caused the allergy.  In most cases, drugs such as antibiotics and pain medications can lead to skin allergies.

To alleviate the symptoms of this type of skin allergy, the patient is adviced to stop taking the medication and to treat the symptoms using anti-histamines like Benadryl.  Total avoidance of the drug in question may also be recommended to avoid further allergies.

Proper diagnosis of skin rashes and similar symptoms are important to ensure that any underlying conditions are treated correctly.  If skin rashes appear, it's best to ask for professional advice from a doctor.  Although relatively easy to avoid than other types of allergies, contact skin allergies could lead to serious complications if not diagnosed properly.