Skin Allergy

SKIN ALLERGY IS COMMON AND FREQUENTLY SEEN IN ADULTS AND CHILDREN.  Skin allergy can take many forms ranging from non- specific skin swellings to the well-known swellings of hives and angioedema.  Skin allergy can also appear as non-specific rashes, eczema, contact dermatitis or other allergic skin rashes.  Some of the allergic skin swellings or rashes may be a symptom of a more serious internal organ disease; in these cases we do a thorough investigation of internal organs as well.

Skin swellings because of an allergy reaction are common and they usually affect the lips and face but no area of the skin is immune from developing allergy swellings. 

Hives are a special form of skin swellings referred to as Urticaria and Angioedema swellings are referred to as giant hives.  Both conditions are common and can be acute or chronic lasting for several months or years.  Hives are itchy, red and swollen raised skin lesions.  The itch can be very intense in some cases and rarely itching can be absent.  Hives almost look and feel like mosquito bites.  Sometimes skin lesions of hives join and make a large itchy red skin swelling.  Hives lasting longer than 6 weeks should be investigated thoroughly.     

Angioedema is a swelling that is deeper in the skin.  Usually Angioedema is not associated with skin itching and affects the lips, face, tongue, throat, and larynx.  Sometimes Angioedema can affect deep organs such as the intestine causing abdominal pain.  Angioedema can be seen alone or in association with hives. We always carefully look for Hereditary Angioedema in all cases of angioedema, which is a familial disease that can be life threatening. 

Eczema is generally used to describe a skin rash characterized by excessive dryness of the skin and presence of a rash.  The rash could be itchy, sometimes intense and the skin becomes rough, thick, broken open at times, which allows infection to set in resulting in impetigo.  Chronic eczema if not properly treated, usually results in permanent scars in the skin and change of skin color of the affected skin (excess or loss of skin pigment).  Atopic dermatitis is a special type of eczema, which is usually caused by allergy.  It looks different in different ages and usually starts in early childhood.  Usually Atopic dermatitis sufferers come from families with history of multiple allergies such as Asthma, Hay fever, and can Atopic dermatitis.

Contact dermatitis is the result of skin contact with a chemical or an allergen and can be acute or chronic.  Using special methods of diagnosis, the cause of contact dermatitis can be discovered and the condition can subside with avoidance of the identified cause of the problem. 

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SKIN SWELLINGS, HIVES, ANGIOEDEMA, ECZEMA, CONTACT DERMATITIS AND OTHER ALLERGIC SKIN RASHES AND METHODS OF THEIR DIAGNOSIS AND EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT. 

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