Dr. Anuj Gupta

Skin allergy is one of the most common complaints in the general population. While the skin has an overall protective function, it also comes in contact with multiple chemicals and substances including pollen, animal dander, environmental pollutants, various metals that might irritate the skin.

When the body comes in touch with any of these, it produces what is known as histamines. Excessive histamines can cause the liquid portion of the cells (plasma) to escape, causing swelling, redness, and itching. This can happen due to either of the two reasons:

• Contact dermatitis, wherein the skin comes in touch with an irritant. This could be animal dander, detergents, laundry products, soaps, etc.
• It could also be due to eating some allergy-inducing substances like eggs, chocolates, milk, peanuts, etc.

Most common causes of contact dermatitis are listed below:

• Metals like nickel, which are used extensively in artificial jewelry
• Latex which could be used in kitchen and bathroom gloves
• Toiletries including soaps, creams, lotions, scrubs
• Laundry and toilet cleaning products
• After the first contact, it could take up to a week to 10 days for the symptoms to manifest

Testing for allergy: It is not easy to pin down the exact cause of the allergic reaction. Skin tests are done usually by exclusion, wherein the most likely causative agents are tested to see if they produce an allergic response. Once detected, the patient is advised to avoid contact or use of that particular agent. Patch test is done where the suspected allergy-causing agent is applied on the skin to see if it indeed causes an allergic reaction.

Management: Skin allergies are treated by a combination of topical and systemic therapy, both immediate and long-term.

When an allergy has actually happened, then the following needs to be done?

1. Keep the area moisturized
2. Avoid itching
3. Apply a topical antihistamine agent
4. Keep it free of metal or any other objects
5. Avoid tight clothing, so that air circulation can help in healing
6. Oatmeal powder helps in getting rid of the itching
7. Use cool compresses to control the inflammation
8. Use calamine and hydrocortisone creams
9. Keep yourself hydrated
10. Take systemic antihistamine if required to bring down the allergy response
11. Once the causative agent is identified, it should be avoided.
12. It is not easy to identify the allergen, but keeping a dairy whenever there is an allergic reaction helps. Look back to see what products or chemicals you came in touch with or used recently and by excluding some, the cause can be identified.
13. If you are prone to skin allergies, always carry an antihistamine and also topical anti-allergy cream to manage the allergy.

A glowing and clear skin is something that we all aspire to have. Irrespective of age, gender or profession, having a skin free of acne, blackheads, whiteheads and marks is something that is a welcome sight, for your own self as well as others who see you. A lot of people are blessed with impeccably flawless skin but they are many others who may have to go through treatments or medications to make sure that they are able to achieve the look that they desire the most.

As the year's pass, they tend to take a toll on our body as well as our skin. One of the most prominent areas, where the skin starts showing signs of aging is our face. We have many ways with which we can manage to stop this wear and tear and look younger for longer. One of these methods is the use of chemical peels.

How it works:

Chemical peels are basically very light acids which are formulated into a peel with help of other chemicals. It works by dissolving the dead cells of the topmost layer of the skin. This procedure reveals a new layer of skin, which is visibly brighter and younger. After the application of the peel, a neutralizer is applied to cease the action of peel. Different skin types and skin issues may require varied concentrations of and type of chemical peel and only an expert in the field may be able to decide the exact need.

The Aftercare:

Since, the skin may become a bit sensitive after the treatment, it is essential that anyone who undergoes peeling treatment ensures following precautions:

1. The skin may become sensitive to soap, which is why washing the skin with soap needs to be avoided for 24 hours or as instructed by the specialist.
2. If there is mild redness of the skin, a cold compress can be used to ease the irritation. However, if the irritation or redness is excessive, it needs to be brought to notice of the doctor.
3. Bleaching, waxing, facials or other such treatments should be avoided for at least a week or as suggested by the dermatologist.
4. It is also advisable to avoid heavy makeup for a short period of time after the chemical peel is carried out so that the skin gets enough time to recover itself.

Chemical peeling has several advantages:

1. It is a safe an effective procedure with minimal complications.
2. It is inexpensive and totally affordable.
3. It can be easily combined with other modalities like micro-needling and microdermabrasion.
4. Many peels can be done as a lunch-time procedure and patient can resume work immediately.

With advent of wide variety of peeling agents, a large number of problems can be addressed and peels can be customized according to needs of the patients. With the best medically approved cosmetic practices at your disposal, you may have to look no further for the glowing and radiant skin. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.