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When your skin comes in contact with an allergen that your skin is sensitive or allergic to you will develop what is called a 'skin allergy.'

Skin allergies also occur:

' When you eat food or even proteins you breathe in may cause symptoms to appear on your skin. These reactions are commonly called hives or rashes, and usually appears within 48 hours after the initial exposure to the allergen.

Symptoms commonly seen in skin allergies are:

' Redness
' Swelling
' Blistering
' Itching
' Hives and rashes.

You can even develop a skin allergy to a substance in a product that you have used for many years. The product does not have to be a new one. The most common types of allergic contact dermatitis are allergies to:

' Poison ivy
' Oak
' Sumac

Another fairly common type of skin allergy is:

' Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)

Atopic Dermatitis is especially common in infants and children. Atopic dermatitis is the most difficult to treat. Atopic dermatitis usually goes away during childhood, or by the age of 25. However, for some people it is a lifelong skin disease. Adults can also develop atopic dermatitis.

Researchers have found that atopic dermatitis can be triggered by:

' Allergy
' Emotional stress
' Involves high levels of immunoglobulin E (lgE), which is the major allergy antibody.

It is also related to the development of other allergies, such as allergic rhinitis and asthma, in most children.

Symptoms of atopic dermatitis are:

' Itchy rash that appears first as small white pimples with red centers over the infant's cheeks, neck and scalp. When the infant begins to scratch the rash, the area can become infected, produce fluid and spread over a wider area.

' The rash can also appear on the outside surfaces of the arms and legs. It often does not appear in the diapered area.

In older children the rash appears on the:

' Inner forearm;
' Behind the knees and
' Opposite the elbows.

Over time if the skin is chronically affected by the rash, it will become dry, thick and browner in color. Some children develop the rash on the eyelids, palms of the hand and soles of the feet.

Teenagers and young adults get the rash most often in:

' The bend of the elbow;
' Back of the knees, ankles and wrists;
' On the face
' Neck
' Chest
' And palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

Atopic dermatitis is not contagious. However, if the scratching leads to a bacterial infection such as Staphylococcus aureus of an area covered by eczema, this can cause impetigo. Impetigo is a skin infection that is contagious.

A doctor will take a careful medical history, looking for allergy in other family members. Skin testing helps confirm food allergies. A food challenge can also confirm that atopic dermatitis is triggered by food.

A food challenge is when suspected foods are removed from the diet, and then they are added back in, first in small amounts then in increasing quantities. The patient is watched to see if symptoms recur.

Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis begins with efforts to reduce the itching and inflammation. A person affected with Atopic Dermatitis can:

' Bathe in warm water not hot water for no more than 3-5 minutes.
' Use super fatted, unscented soap or soap substitute.
' Pat the skin dry.
' Promptly apply moisturizer to help keep the skin hydrated.
' For thickened skin area, moisturizing ointments are used.
' Trim the patient's fingernails to reduce problems from scratching.
' At night, patients can wear cotton socks on their feet or gloves on their hands to prevent scratching while asleep.
' If the rash is oozing, doctors may prescribe a lotion to dry the rash and an antibiotic to treat infection. Do not use corticosteroid products on the face if a rash is present.

Other ways you can help control and treat Atopic Dermatitis are:

' Stay indoors in air conditioning when the weather is hot to avoid sweating and itchiness.
' Use a humidifier in the winter to keep skin from drying out.
' Avoid wool, polyester, wrinkle-resistant, flame-retardant or scratchy fabrics in clothes and bedding.
' Reduce indoor allergens by washing bedding in hot water, removing rugs, stuffed furniture, stuffed toys and curtains where possible.

If symptoms resist normal treatment remember that the disease can be controlled. It may take awhile to find out the cause and what the best treatment for it is. The condition also nearly always improves over time.

A new drug called 'tacgolimus' has shown good results in both adults and children with atopic dermatitis.

Source: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The information contained in this article should not substitute seeking responsible, professional medical care. It is not meant to attempt to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of skin condition.

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