What is an Allergy?
Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to an unfamiliar element by treating it as if it’s a harmful substance when it is not. Advanced Dermatology, with offices in both New York and New Jersey, has highly experienced allergists that can help patients struggling to manage their allergies. Advanced Dermatology’s medical team, considered among the top doctors in New York and New Jersey, is proud to offer customized solutions for each individual based on their specific needs.
Causes
When the body is exposed to an allergen, the immune system is triggered and releases chemicals, such as histamine; to fight what it thinks is a “dangerous invader”. Typical causes of allergies are:
- Environmental allergens, like pollen, animal dander, dust mites and mold
- Foods, in particular peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, eggs and milk
- Insect bites or stings, for example from a bee or wasp
- Medications, specifically penicillin-based antibiotics
- Substances that come in contact with the skin, such as latex
Symptoms
Allergy symptoms, caused by the chemical the immune system releases to fight the allergen, can cause a wide range of symptoms. The symptoms a person can have depend on the type of allergy and the severity to which their body responds to a specific allergen. Skin problems, such as rashes or hives, are common signs of an allergic reaction. Allergy symptoms can include a runny nose for someone who is perhaps allergic to pollen or breathing difficulty for someone with a peanut allergy. In general, symptoms can affect your airways, sinuses and nasal passages, skin, and digestive system. Since symptoms can become worse it is important to seek treatment with an allergist, especially if over the counter treatments do not work to reduce symptoms.
Generally allergies cannot be cured, however there are many treatments that can alleviate bothersome symptoms. Since allergies and symptoms are specific to an individual’s immune system and medical history, it is imperative to seek professional medical help from a highly trained allergist. Advanced Dermatology offers the best in personalized patient care for people suffering from allergies. Find an excellent treatment plan to manage your allergies by scheduling an appointment with our expert medical staff.
Overview
Allergies manifest when your immune system creates antibodies that mistakenly recognize a specific allergen (substance that causes an allergy) as dangerous to the body. Therefore, when you come in contact with an allergen, your body has an inflammatory response that can affect your skin, airways, nasal passages and digestive system. Allergies can vary from slight irritations to serious conditions such as anaphylaxis, which is a possibly life-threatening situation when a person’s airway begins to close from swelling. Since allergies can evolve and change it is important to see an experienced allergist if you have allergies or they have worsened over time.
Types of Allergies
There are several types of allergies a person can experience, some of them simultaneously. The main types of allergies are: Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, food allergies, insect sting allergies, drug allergies and atopic dermatitis, which is commonly known as eczema. While a person can have more than one type of allergy, he or she can also develop different types of allergies over time.
When to Seek Medical Attention for Allergy Relief
If your skin reaction is more severe, it is important to seek immediate medical attention for allergic skin reaction treatment. Immediate medical intervention should be sought for any of the following symptoms:
- Infection
- Pus secreting from blisters
- Difficulty breathing
- Symptoms in the eyes or nasal passages
- If the allergen was ingested or has affected your mouth or digestive tract
How to Get Allergy Relief
An essential first step is to immediately stop using the product that is causing the allergic reaction symptoms. Allergic reactions on the skin will appear within 24-48 hours of applying a topical treatment. If you are unsure of the cause, this window should narrow your search.
You can also wash the product off of your skin with cold water or with a cold compress if it was freshly applied. You can also apply topical steroid medication, such as hydrocortisone cream if you are experiencing itchiness. Oral allergy medication or an antihistamine can also be taken to treat symptoms.
For more severe reactions, the best plan is to make an appointment with your dermatologist or allergist. They can prescribe a treatment such as a corticosteroid cream or an oral steroid to reduce inflammation.
How to Prevent Future Allergic Reactions
Having an allergic reaction is not only stressful, but it is also hard on your skin. If you have had a recent allergic reaction, it might be necessary to give your skin a break. Check with your dermatologist and/or allergist on which skincare routine is gentle enough to use during this time.
Whenever you are using a new product, it can be helpful to try it on a discreet area to see how your skin reacts. Your dermatologist or allergist can also help with this process with a patch test if you’ve had issues in the past with skin care products. A patch test is a special skin test where specific ingredients present in commonly used products are applied on your back to see which ingredients you are sensitive to.
Whenever you are changing up your skincare routine, it can be helpful to run it by your dermatologist. Whether you have a medical emergency or just want to schedule a cosmetic consultation, set up an appointment with our own Dr. David Erstein. Dr. Erstein is an expert in evaluating medication allergies, cosmetic allergies, diseases of the skin, insect sting reactions, and latex allergies.