When your body encounters something different that it thinks is dangerous, your immune system automatically thinks it is being attacked. And in defense, it quickly releases antibodies to fight off these foreign invaders by releasing histamines. These histamines are the main cause of skin allergy symptoms like rashes or swelling of the skin.
Skin allergies have a tendency of affecting a person’s quality of life. For e.g., when it comes to chronic urticaria or hives, the wheals don’t go away for weeks and sometimes months, or even years. Because these hives can be scratchy and swollen, you can’t concentrate on much else because you are always preoccupied. This leads to annoyance and irritability. This can not only affect your confidence, but also your sleep schedule, your work and almost every other aspect of your life. Although they are not dangerous, contagious or hereditary, they have a tendency of affecting a person’s mental and emotional well-being.
Urticaria (Hives)
Hives are red or skin-coloured bumps that appear on the surface of the skin which can be a sign of an allergic reaction or some underlying condition. While acute urticaria lasts less than six weeks, chronic urticaria can sometimes last years. Acute urticaria is most commonly caused by exposure to an allergen or by an infection. The cause of chronic urticaria is largely unknown. However, consultation with a doctor and a skin allergy test may help.
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Angioedema
Angioedema is the swelling of tissues layer under the skin. It can mostly be seen along with hives and many a times, it occurs on the face, mouth, lips and sometimes even men’s genitals. Angioedema can also be acute or chronic depending on the period of its stay on the body and skin allergy medicine and treatment for angioedema also depends on its type.
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Eczema
Eczema is the most common skin allergy symptom, especially in kids. It affects between 10-20% children and 1-3% adults. Symptoms of eczema are dry, red, itchy and irritated skin. Sometimes, the skin may also develop small bumps that ooze a clear or yellowish liquid.
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Atopic eczema
Atopic eczema can be caused by exposure to allergens such as pollen, pet dander, peanuts, stress, dry skin and infections. Certain irritants such as soaps, fabrics and cleaners can also flare up atopic eczema symptoms.
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Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a condition which causes your skin cells to multiply faster than usual causing red, itchy, scaly patches generally in knees, elbows, trunk and scalp. It is a long-term chronic disease with no known cure. It goes through phases where it flares up for a few weeks or months and then settles down for a while.
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