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People with sensitive skin easily react to irritants and allergens. Examples of irritants include fragrance, essential oils, perfumes, and talc. Examples of allergens are pet dander, dust, mold, pollen, and certain foods such as peanuts.
If you have an overactive immune system, then your skin rashes are likely due to an allergic reaction. People who develop a rash in response to an allergen usually suffer from hay fever, too.
Rashes that appear on the skin due to an allergic reaction are usually intense and feature redness, itching, and burning. An allergist can help you keep your allergic rashes under control while also helping you to understand their cause, so you can avoid future exposure to the allergen.
Types of Skin Allergies
An allergy usually takes a while to appear, since sensitization to an allergen does take time. You may be surprised at your skin’s sudden reaction.
The most common types of allergies are eczema and hives:
Eczema
Also called dermatitis, this allergic skin inflammation usually causes red, dry, scaly, and extremely itchy areas on the skin. Eczema is a chronic condition, and flare-ups are usually due to environmental triggers.
The good news is that eczema is not life-threatening; but if you keep scratching it, you could develop an infection. Eczema is highly uncomfortable, and you need to know its triggers in order to prevent another flare-up.
To prevent eczema flare-ups, you need to apply anti-itch cream or topical steroids and refrain from making contact with the allergy source. You may take antihistamines if the itch becomes unbearable, but antihistamines usually make you drowsy – so it’s highly recommended to take it at night.
Hives
Also known as urticaria, hives are raised bumps that are very itchy. Hives may appear due to an allergic reaction to a food or drug; they are not caused by an irritating ingredient in a beauty or bath product. However, stress and infection can also trigger hives, thus the expression “it gave me hives.”
Hives may go away on their own. More often than not, however, you will need oral corticosteroids, antihistamine medication, or an injection of diphenhydramine to stop the release of histamines causing the allergic reaction.
Between eczema and hives, the latter is potentially life-threatening. If the swelling from hives blocks the airways, it can lead to anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal if not treated immediately.
Allergy Doctors in Northeast Illinois
Only an allergist can run allergy tests to determine what you are allergic to and recommend the appropriate treatment for the effective management of your allergies. Here at Oak Brook Allergists, our board-certified doctors will make sure you or your child experience long-term relief from your allergy symptoms. We are proud to offer the most advanced treatments designed for cases of both eczema and chronic hives.
To schedule a consultation, call our friendly team at Oak Brook Allergists today at (630) 574-0460 or request an appointment via our online form now. We look forward to finding the cause of your rash or other allergic reaction so we can prevent it from ever happening again.
