Strange signs you might be having an allergic reaction

12th February 2020

Strange signs you might be having an allergic reaction

It’s crazy what the human body is capable of. There are people who have mastered the art of echolocation – using sound to figure out where things are around them. Some people have synesthesia, meaning they can taste words and colours, or literally see music. 

But the same complexity that makes these superhuman abilities possible is the same one that sometimes makes it hard to understand. With allergies, there are certain things to look out for to help you make sense of the madness. Here are some symptoms to be aware of.

Skin tumours

Some people who get permanent tattoos develop strange growths on their skin. However, they may not realise these result from an allergic reaction to the tattoo ink. Red tattoo ink is the most common ink responsible for these reactions. 

Itchy rash

Allergic rashes can come in many forms, even bumpy, itchy ones. Some people who are allergic to certain metals like nickel get these skin rashes and don’t really know why. The metal is in mobile phones, jewellery, and even braces, so it makes knowing the cause of your symptoms difficult. 

A red butt

People who have allergies to certain metals, plants, or medications can develop Baboon syndrome. It’s a real condition, caused by dermatitis because of an allergic reaction. It is usually a reaction to certain antibiotics, such as penicillin.

A swollen tongue

A swollen tongue during an allergic reaction isn’t uncommon. However, when you don’t expect it, it can lead to panic. This can be especially true for people with hay fever. They may not realise they’re at risk of oral allergy syndrome as fruits and vegetables contain similar proteins to those in pollen. Therefore, when you eat them, the body reacts to the food and may cause a swollen tongue. 

Black spots on the skin

One study showed some people develop black spots on their skin as a reaction to poison ivy or poison oak. An itchy rash in response to these plants is common, but the black spots are less so. What’s strange about these spots is that they peel off over time. 

An allergic reaction can take on many forms. If you’re experiencing strange symptoms, you shouldn’t rule out an allergy just yet as you never know what the cause could be. 

If your symptoms are getting in the way of your life, it’s time to get tested to see if they’re because of an allergy. All you need to do is to book an appointment with one of the consultants at the London Allergy and Immunology Centre today.

Self-tan sensitivity: could you have a fake tan allergy?

18th April 2019

Self-tan sensitivity: could you have a fake tan allergy?

With summer rapidly approaching, most of us Brits who don’t see much of the sun in our own gardens are dreaming of a bronzed tan. A quick and easy way to get that golden glow is through lathering on a bottle of self-tan, but for those with sensitive skin, this may not always be the best option.

What are the symptoms?

A sign that you may be having a reaction to self-tan is your skin feeling extremely irritated or itchy after application. This can occur instantly or a few hours after you apply it when your skin has adjusted. You may also notice that your skin is drier than usual, resulting in you itching more.

Contact dermatitis and eczema are two things you need to consider when choosing your fake tan. These two skin conditions, in particular, will have a big impact on not only how your fake tan applies, but also how it makes your skin look and feel physically.

What’s causing my reaction?

There are various reasons why your skin may react to different products. It can depend on your skin type, the chemicals in the product, or even just the condition of your skin on that given day. However, it’s always important to consider what our skin is coming into contact with and the effects that this may have on its health both short and long-term.

Although it’s a fairly low statistic, about two in every 100,000 people are allergic to DHA. But we can’t rule it out as one of the contributing factors to your skin reaction as, unfortunately, it’s in most fake tan products you’ll come into contact with in the shops.

How to avoid a reaction

Look how high on the ingredients list different chemicals are. The higher up it is on the list the more of it the product contains. DHA is usually second on the list (after water), so if you’re trying to avoid this, look for more natural products that come before it or instead of it.

It’s also extremely important to conduct a patch test before applying self-tan to the rest of your body to ensure that you don’t have a serious allergy or reaction. Apply a small amount to your skin and leave it overnight to see how your skin reacts to it.

If your skin is still reacting to the product, you should seek professional medical help. Going to an allergy specialist will help you narrow down what’s causing you to react and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

We’re here to help you with all of your allergy questions and concerns. If you think you may have an allergy to fake tan or anything else, you can find out more by calling us on +44 (0)2 031 433 449.

Everyday products that might be causing skin irritation

28th December 2018

Everyday products that might be causing skin irritation

Even if you’re an adult, you could still have an undiagnosed allergy. Maybe your skin flares up, and you aren’t sure why. You might not know it, but there are several surprising products that could be causing it.

Sometimes, finding the trigger that’s causing your dermatitis or eczema is challenging. In this part of our continuing series, we have some more lesser-known triggers that just might be causing you trouble.

Hand sanitizer

While this product is useful when there’s no sign of soap in sight, hand sanitizer can, unfortunately, cause irritation. Ingredients such as alcohol can cause sensitive skin to become inflamed, break into hives, or trigger existing skin problems like dermatitis or eczema.

To solve this, why not try alcohol-free hand sanitizer instead?

Plasters

Have you ever put a plaster over a cut only to find that your injury was worse afterwards? It could be infected, or you might just have an allergy to plasters. The sticky adhesive on plasters contains glues such as methacrylates and epoxy diacrylates.

Unfortunately, these glues – much like the ingredients in hand sanitizer – can cause your skin to become inflamed, itchy, and sore. Luckily there is an easy solution for when you need a plaster – anti-allergy plasters. You can buy them in most supermarkets and drugstores.

Sweeteners

If you like to add sweetener to your morning coffee, you might want to rethink doing so. Sweeteners, such as Stevia, can trigger allergies. As the sweetener is derived from a plant, this means it may come into contact with allergens such as pollen. By consuming sweeteners, you could be exposing yourself to triggers.

We highly recommend getting tested for allergies no matter what your age. Knowing what to avoid is important and can make your life that much more comfortable.

If you think you might be suffering from allergies or contact dermatitis, why not order one of our home testing kits today? Find out once and for all what’s causing your skin irritation. Request an allergy test from us or visit our website.

World Allergy Week 2018: atopic dermatitis

25th April 2018

World Allergy Week 2018: atopic dermatitis

It’s officially World Allergy Week 2018, and this year the World Allergy Organization are focusing on raising awareness for atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema. We are going to aid them in this task by discussing what atopic dermatitis is, its effects, and its treatments.

What is it?

Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease. It affects people of all ages but more commonly begins during infancy and childhood. Sometimes you can outgrow it before adulthood, but it can also last into adulthood or begin during adulthood.

Atopic dermatitis disrupts the skin’s ability to hold moisture. It makes it itchy and red, with small blisters or oozing. In its chronic form, the skin may appear darkened, dry and thick. These symptoms are very uncomfortable for people living with the condition. This includes up to 5-30% of children and 1-10% of adults globally.

The discomfort is only one effect of atopic dermatitis. The changes it makes to the skin can also cause problems with self-esteem and mental well-being. This is particularly worrying for those in vulnerable groups, like children. Also, proper ongoing treatment requires a lot of attention, time, and care which can be disruptive and annoying in people’s everyday lives.

Where does it come from?

So what causes atopic dermatitis? There are several factors at play here. It is the most common chronic skin condition and is often genetically transmitted. It can be triggered by temperature and humidity, harsh soaps and detergents, weather changes, stress, microbial infections, lack of sleep, and allergens. Atopic dermatitis as a reaction to a food allergen is most common in children. But other allergens like dust mites, animal dander, and inhalant allergens can also trigger it.

Most people who have atopic dermatitis have a family or personal history of allergies. It’s often one of the first signs of allergic hypersensitivity during the first months with other allergies likely to follow. These frequently include a food allergy, hay fever, or asthma. But if you catch the symptoms early in childhood, dermatologists and allergists may be able to prevent or modify the development of new allergies and the experience of existing ones.

Treatment

Even if you receive no preventative treatment, there are other treatments available for people with atopic dermatitis surrounding trigger avoidance, medications, and skin care. The use of these approaches will depend on the severity of the disease. Treatments may include topical corticosteroids, topical calcineurin inhibitors, immunosuppressants, antihistamines, phototherapy, biological therapy, oral corticosteroids, or bleach baths and triclosan washes.

The hope with these treatments is that they will reduce the negative impacts of atopic dermatitis on quality of life. It can be chronic, disturb your sleep, make you self-conscious, limit your daily activities, impact your relationships, and make you susceptible to infections and viruses. These effects combine to make day to day life challenging and less enjoyable. In this case, any potential treatments to avoid the problems atopic dermatitis causes are essential.

To get involved with World Allergy Week, connect with us on twitter @Allergy_London using the #WorldAllergyWeek tag and help spread awareness of atopic dermatitis. To make an appointment with one of our specialist consultants, book online today. London Allergy & Immunology Centre can provide you with comprehensive allergy tests and the best treatment for you.