Allergies are really exploding. And sometimes the skin is affected. In some cases, it is difficult to recognize and distinguish these skin or subcutaneous diseases. Some elements to learn how to identify them.
Skin allergies have very diverse aspects. One of the most common forms is urticaria. Who among us has never met her? After eating shellfish, fish, strawberries, eggs, milk, etc., the skin suddenly swells, turns red and suddenly wants to scratch. Let’s take a look at these skin diseases and their symptoms.
Hives, the most common allergy
In fact, the skin changes are more or less similar to the reaction after a sting from a nettle (“urtica” in Latin), which is also where the disease gets its name. In sensitized people, urticaria can also occur after administration of penicillin antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, or after inhalation of pollen, animal hair, or insect bites. Skin reactions occur within 2 hours. In this case, it is advisable to consult a doctor or dermatologist.
In the same person, the reaction always occurs under the same circumstances. Another feature is that once symptoms appear, they progress and the lesions easily “migrate” to reach other areas of the body. Acute urticaria occurs as a result of a collision between a foreign allergen substance and the body, which releases the pro-inflammatory molecule histamine.
Quincke’s edema, a sometimes fatal form of allergy
Another type of allergy is Quincke’s edema. This rather special form of urticaria, which is fortunately very rare, does not involve the allergic reaction in the skin itself, but rather in the subcutaneous tissue. It is dangerous because it causes swelling of the face, especially around the eyes and mouth, and can lead to pharyngeal edema, which in some cases can lead to suffocation. It is essential to act quickly. If you are already experiencing quick swelling, your doctor may prescribe you an adrenaline pen, which you should always carry with you.
Finally, you should know that some people have real sun allergies that manifest in different ways. When you first expose yourself to the sun or after prolonged exposure to it, a hives-like rash may appear, spreading all over the skin and accompanied by discomfort (fatigue). The cause is a loss of resistance to UV rays and a weakening of the skin’s barrier function. Here too, excessive histamine production is the cause of skin inflammation. Eczema and allergies
Another very common type of skin allergy is eczema. However, this term actually refers to several allergic diseases and a variety of conditions. The most common are atopic eczema in infants and allergic contact dermatitis in adults. Also, skin conditions such as psoriasis may be complicated by other skin changes similar to those that occur in eczema after taking allergic medications.
This is called “eczematous” of the lesions. Finally, dermatologists also describe special forms of allergic skin reactions, similar to eczema, that result from the “internal sensitization” of the body to sources of infection present in the body.
Antihistamines desensitizers corticosteroids: how to treat skin allergies
To protect yourself, it is, of course, necessary to eliminate the substance that causes the allergy. However, despite police investigations, it is often difficult to identify the culprit. In addition, patients are often offered symptomatic treatment, with the aim of preventing allergic reactions by combating excessive histamine exposure (desensitization) or limiting their intensity. Antihistamines quickly reduce redness and swelling of the skin. The youngest of these are less and less likely to cause drowsiness. In desensitization therapy, small amounts of the allergen are injected subcutaneously to gradually get the body used to the allergen. Thus, in a way, this method works on the opposite principle to a vaccine. It is increasingly used and is used to prevent allergies to insect bites (hornet) and certain food allergies, especially the most severe ones
Corticosteroid are not specific for allergies, but they are a valuable help in the fight against skin allergies, as they reduce inflammation. These are usually used in the form of creams and are classified into different levels depending on their effectiveness against skin diseases. However, it has many side effects and should be used sparingly.
