Skin allergy treatment specialist, Allergy and Asthma Consultants, specializes in advanced, effective skin allergy treatment.
We feature award-winning physicians, convenient offices and same day appointments.
Our goal is to help you look and feel your best with our effective skin allergy treatment.
ABOUT SKIN ALLERGIES
An allergic skin condition happens when an allergen is responsible for triggering an immune system reaction. Irritated skin can be caused by a variety of factors, including immune system disorders, infections and medications.
ECZEMA (ATOPIC DERMATITIS)
The most common allergic skin condition is eczema, especially in young children, affecting up to 20 percent of infants and children but only 5-10 percent of adults. In about half of patients with eczema, the patient has inherited a faulty gene in their skin called filaggrin. The itch of eczema is not caused by histamine so antihistamines may not help with the symptoms. Eczema is frequently linked to food allergy, allergic rhinitis, or asthma.
ALLERGIC CONTACT DERMATITIS
When your skin comes in direct contact with an allergen, allergic contact dermatitis occurs. You may develop red, scaly, itchy, dumpy, or swollen skin at the point of contact.
Touching poison oak, poison sumac or poison ivy can also cause allergic contact dermatitis. An oily coating covering these plants causes the red, itchy rash. An allergic reaction can be caused by touching the plants or by touching clothing, pets or gardening tools that have come in contact with the oil. We can do patch testing to determine the cause of your contact allergy.
URTICARIA (HIVES)
Hives are an inflammation of the skin triggered when the immune system releases histamine, causing small blood vessels to leak and leading to swelling in the skin. Acute urticarial happens after eating a particular food or contacting a specific trigger. Other triggers include non-allergic causes such as exercise or heat, as well as medications, food or insect bites.
Although they can be uncomfortable or painful, hives are not contagious.
ANGIOEDEMA
Often seen in combination with urticarial (hives) angioedema is swelling in the deep layers of the skin. Angioedema frequently occurs in soft tissues such as eyelids, genitals or the mouth. Acute angioedema is commonly caused by an allergic reaction to food or medication. Chronic recurrent angioedema is when the condition tends to recur over a long period of time and does not have an identifiable cause.
Skin conditions are one of the most common allergies treated by the award-winning doctors on the staff of Allergy & Asthma Consultants.
If you are suffering from skin allergies, we can help you with our skin allergy treatment.
SKIN ALLERGY SYMPTOMS & DIAGNOSIS
The most common symptom in any skin allergy is redness, itching and swelling of the skin. We use the differences in the symptoms to help in the diagnosis and treatment of specific conditions.
ATOPIC DERMATITIS (ECZEMA) SYMPTOMS
Dry, red or itchy skin, that may “weep” or leak fluid that crusts over when scratched, which means that it is also infected.
Eczema often appears on the face of infants, and children tend to have a rash at the bends of the elbow joint, wrists, behind the knees and behind the ears. Young adults and adolescents experience the rash in the same locations as children, as well as on the feet and hands.
Patients with the faulty filaggrin gene often have eczema with little lines on the skin of the palms of their hands.
DIAGNOSIS
The exact cause of eczema is not clear in many children. Treatment depends on regular use of topical medications to dampen the inflammation and on moisturizer. In children where the skin is oozing, crusting and painful, an infection that needs antibiotic treatment may be the primary trigger.
Young children and infants with severe eczema should be evaluated for food allergy. In older children and adults, food allergies that cause eczema are much rarer.
A confirmed diagnosis requires avoiding the trigger food for about four weeks to confirm that the food was actually causing the flare.
URTICARIA (HIVES) AND ANGIOEDEMA SYMPTOMS
Urticaria can appear anywhere on the body, and displays red and white, raised, itchy bumps. Angioedema frequently appears on the face, around the lips, cheeks or eyes, and can also occur on genitals, inside the bowels throat, or on hands and feet. In acute urticarial, the welts disappear within just a few minutes, up to a few weeks. On the other hand, chronic hives may last for months or years.
DIAGNOSIS
The exact cause cannot be determined in many chronic cases. However, there are some underlying conditions like Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Vitamin D deficiency that can contribute to hives and be picked up with blood tests.. Allergy testing is also helpful in certain instances when eating a particular food or contacting a particular substance triggers acute symptoms.
SKIN ALLERGY TREATMENT
ATOPIC DERMATITIS (ECZEMA)
Because the rash is caused by scratching, it’s important to avoid scratching. Eczema is commonly described as an “itch which rashes.”
Moisturizers and topical ointments that reduce the inflammation (e.g. topical steroids or calcineurin inhibitors) are the most effective way to treat eczema. Antihistamines do not usually relieve the itch.
If a skin bacterial infection is suspected as a trigger for an eczema flare-up, antibiotics may be prescribed. Pain, oozing and crusting may be symptoms. Oral steroids should be avoided because eczema usually returns when the medication is stopped. Oral steroids can cause serious side effects if taken for long periods of time.
Body suits and cotton undergarments are sometimes worn to help protect the skin from irritants and scratching. The patient should avoid using any soap products that contain sodium laurel sulfate and any other triggers that cause a reaction. Our doctors will help able to help determine whether there is an avoidable trigger.
These skin allergy treatment and management strategies can help relieve social challenges. Sometimes people with eczema, specifically children, are shunned by others who believe the rash is contagious.
URTICARIA (HIVES) AND ANGIOEDEMA
If your doctor can determine the cause of your hives, you manage the condition by avoiding that trigger. Oral antihistamines and other medications that control the itch and recurrence of the rash are often used to treat hives or angioedema. Also, the biologic drug Xolair can lead to a “miracle” cure.
Certain blood pressure medicines (ACE inhibitors) can cause a patient to develop angioedema. Switching to another blood pressure medication may help the angioedema go away. Other causes and then treatment of angioedema will require a very detailed visit with our doctors.
For your skin allergies, schedule an appointment with one of our award-winning doctors.
ALLERGY SKIN TREATMENT DOCTORS
Suffering from irritated skin? Our award-winning Doctors specialize in advanced skin allergy treatment.
We offer proven skin allergy treatments to reduce redness, stop itching and help your skin heal. Contact us at 404-255-9286 for customized, results focused allergy skin treatment.
