Rash Q & A
What is a rash?
A rash is an area of your skin that has changed in appearance. In addition to being painful or itchy, rashes can make your skin appear:
- Red
- Bumpy or blistered
- Dry or cracked
- Warm or swollen
Rashes can indicate a variety of issues including allergies.
What causes a rash?
In many cases, rashes are due to allergic reactions. The most common rashes related to allergies include eczema, contact dermatitis, and hives.
Eczema
Eczema causes red, dry, itchy patches on your skin. In some cases, you also have small bumps that ooze yellowish or clear fluid.
Contact dermatitis
This type of allergic reaction is due to direct contact with an allergen, such as latex, nickel or fragrances. These rashes are often itchy, blistered, or burning.
Hives
When you have hives, you usually develop itchy, red bumps or welts on various parts of your body. In most cases, hives disappear within 24 hours.
What triggers a rash to flare up?
A rash can flare up for several reasons depending on your sensitivity. Common allergic rash triggers include:
- Foods, like nuts, peanuts, and milk
- Certain medications, such as penicillin, aspirin, and opiates
- Topical contact with items like chemicals, latex, or animal dander
- Insect stings or bites, including yellow jackets, wasps, and bees
Environmental and physical factors like temperature, sweating, and sunlight can also cause rashes to flare up.
How are rashes diagnosed and treated?
It can be challenging to identify the cause of a rash. During your appointment at Allergy Testing Center, your allergist conducts a physical examination of your rash and reviews a detailed medical history. Based on your symptoms, they may recommend additional allergy testing to identify a potential allergen.
Based on your diagnosis, your allergist develops a treatment strategy that might include:
- Avoiding the allergy trigger
- Creams or oral medication to relieve your symptoms
- Antihistamines to reduce itching
Your allergist might also recommend immunotherapy. This treatment for some allergens slowly introduces you to your allergy trigger over time to decrease your sensitivity to it.
To see if allergies are causing your rash, call Allergy Testing Center or schedule an appointment online today.