Can an allergy suddenly disappear? Or is there a different explanation?
Posted: 19th October 2022 | Posted by Costa
Can an allergy suddenly disappear? Or is there a different explanation?
Last week, we talked about the possibility of developing a new allergy as an adult. It can happen, such is life. But what about the opposite? Can you lose an allergy in your adult years? And it turns out you can… kind of.
It’s not crystal clear how or why it happens, but people can and do grow out of allergies. For some, it’s not unusual to see a childhood allergy disappear over the years. But for others, it can seemingly happen overnight at any time. Is there any truth to this? Or are there other factors at play? Let’s take a look.
Something’s changed
Somebody suddenly feeling less affected by their hay fever isn’t out of the question. Maybe one summer feels so much better than the last. While it might seem like the hay fever has gone, there might be a simpler explanation.
Has anything changed between the two allergy attacks? In the case of hay fever, we’re usually only affected by certain types of pollen: tree, grass, or weed pollen. And these flair up at different times of year. If you’ve moved, for example, you might have gone where a particular type of pollen is lower. Or, if you’re by the coast, the ocean breeze might be blowing it away.
It could also be due to the weather. Rain will reduce the pollen in the air. So if it’s a particularly rainy year, there might be less pollen to aggravate you. None of this means your hay fever has disappeared. This works for multiple allergies. Allergic to cats but you’ve found one that doesn’t set you off? You might still have the allergy, but this particular breed has less dander.
Your tolerance has changed
One theory is that you can “grow accustomed” to certain allergy triggers, thus reducing its effects. This is usually applied to food allergies, such as nuts. It’s possibly part of why children tend to outgrow their allergies. Some studies have shown that about 20% of children with a nut allergy go on to outgrow it.
This is a risky theory to test, though. It’s not advisable to purposely expose yourself to an allergen. In fact, it’s downright dangerous considering the potential lethality of exposure. And that’s before we come back to the idea that allergies can emerge as quickly as they seem to disappear.
So while allergies aren’t guaranteed to be a lifelong condition, they also don’t fade quite as much in adulthood as you’d expect. Any allergies that seem to get better might be explained better by other external factors first. If you ever have any concerns or updates about your allergies, a professional allergist should be your first port of call.
To find out more about your allergies, get in touch with us today. Our team of specialists is on hand to help. Simply call on 02031 433 449 or register as a new patient here.