Sunday 23 October 2011

Scratching The Surface: Skin Allergy

There are many adverse conditions that can negatively impact the human skin.  Some of those uncomfortable conditions could include skin burns, loss of collagen, age spots, etc.
One additional malady that can cause distress are skin allergies.  When discussing skin allergies it is important to know what a skin allergy is and how to find out if the individual has a skin allergy.  This is accomplished through an allergy skin test.
What Is A Skin Allergy?
A skin allergy is the response of the immune system to certain substances that come in contact with the skin.  Generally, this response of the immune’s system is an overreaction to those substances that the skin comes in contact with.  When this overreaction of the immune system occurs a substance is produced by the body.  This substance is known as antigen and is secreted from the pores of the skin.  When secreted, it adheres to the substance that comes in contact with the skin. 
Additionally, another substance is released by the immune system.  This substance is known as histamine and its release causes various symptoms associated with the process.  Those symptoms include the constriction of smooth muscles and inflammation of the affected area.
Other symptoms of skin allergies can include redness, scaling and the development of blisters.  It is these types of symptoms that can cause extreme itching of the area because of the histamine response to the foreign substance of the skin.
What Is A Skin Allergy Test?
Before an individual receives treatment for a possible skin allergy condition, an allergy skin test is usually recommended by the attending physician.  The purpose of the skin allergy test is to identify what substances the individual may be allergic to.
Generally, the process can be accomplished in a couple of ways.  One of those ways is to actually inject the skin with a small needle.  This needle contains a minuscule amount of the allergen that is being tested as part of the skin allergy test.
Another way that the skin allergy test is conducted is by applying a patch to the skin.  Like the needle prick the patch contains a certain amount of the allergen being tested upon the individual. 
One additional way that the skin allergy test can be administered is through the process known as the scratch test.  This is a common way to find out if an individual is allergic to a particular allergen; however the chances of infection through this particular method greatly increase.http://www.allergy-zero.com/

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