Skin Allergy Specialist In Miami, Florida

Skin allergies are conditions in which the skin becomes irritated by an allergic immune response to an otherwise harmless substance.

People with a skin allergy can experience itching, redness, bumps, burning, swelling, and hives. There are several types of skin allergies, with the most common being:

• Atopic dermatitis or eczema is the most common skin allergy. It’s linked to environmental and genetic factors and can be connected to asthma, seasonal allergies, and food allergies.
• Urticaria is a skin allergy that shows as raised bumps or hives that appear on the skin due to an allergic response. They are often the result of food allergies or bug bites.
• Allergic contact dermatitis triggers an allergic response when something touches the skin. For example, some people will get allergic contact dermatitis after touching poison ivy.
• Angioedema describes a condition with deep swellings in the skin around the throat, lips, and eyelids.

Depending on the skin allergy the patient is dealing with, the symptoms can vary. The most common symptoms will still include swelling, itchiness, rashes, dryness, rashes, and bumps.

Because different allergies produce different symptoms, it’s always preferred to visit a skin doctor (a dermatologist) or an allergist to determine what kind of reaction the patient is dealing with and what compounds are causing these reactions.

With the help of an experienced immunologist, patients can receive an accurate diagnosis through several tests and methods. Most commonly, the healthcare provider will:

• Review your medical and allergy history
• Examine your skin
• Recommend different testing methods, like skin prick testing, intradermal testing, patch testing, specific IgE testing, or might perform a challenge test.

Adequate skin allergy treatment will depend on the underlying problem and the allergen that’s causing the problem in the first place. Even then, treatment will usually include these two methods:

Avoidance: Through patient education, skin doctors and immunologists help patients identify and avoid their allergens.
Medication: Certain compounds and creams may relieve pain, swelling, and itching.

In the case of Eczema, patients should avoid scrubbing, scratching, and rubbing their skin and are encouraged to moisturize their skin frequently.

For hives and angioedema, doctors might prescribe antihistamines to stop reactions and may help the patient devise a strategy to stay away from the allergen that’s causing the adverse response. In the case of chronic angioedema or hives, it’s imperative to understand the triggers of the allergy and learn how to avoid them.

When the patient is dealing with allergic contact dermatitis, the best skin allergy treatment is limiting exposure to the allergen. Still, if this fails, the troublesome compound should be removed from the skin’s surface with water and soap. Cool compresses and lotion may relieve the pain, and healthcare experts may administer antihistamines or cortisone medicine to speed up the skin’s healing process.

Like in the case of most allergies, patient education is the best treatment. Here, at the Miami Allergy and Immunology Center, healthcare providers know this and aim to create a treatment/management plan that caters to the patient’s individual needs and lifestyle.