What are the Most Common Causes of Skin Allergies?
Skin allergies and irritations are generally caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to something in the environment, and they can produce itchiness, redness, and swelling of the skin. When your skin becomes inflamed and bothersome, it’s uncomfortable getting through the day and even harder to sleep at night. Often we don’t even realize what happened to us or why.
Common Causes of Skin Allergies:
Metals
Nickel and gold can cause a rash in some people, making jewelry a common skin irritant. Metals found in clothing, such as buttons and zippers, can also cause skin irritations. Eyeglass frames with nickel in them is a proven irritant as well, producing redness and other reactions on the face. Replacing metals with plastics, whenever possible, will help to relieve issues.
Fragrances
Perfumes, lotions, and soaps can irritate the skin, depending on the fragrances used. They not only cause headaches, sneezing, and watery eyes, but also skin rashes in some. Dishwashing liquids, for example, can cause hives if you’re allergic to the fragrance. In 2007, the fragrance was actually declared the Contact Allergen of the Year by the American Contact Dermatitis Society. Try using fragrance-free products to keep your symptoms under control.
Formaldehyde
This chemical agent is found in sanitary products and paper products. It’s also found in many cleaning fluids, clothing dyes, as well as other items. It’s extremely irritating to the skin if you’re sensitive to this organic compound. Limiting your use of products that contain formaldehyde will lessen any adverse reactions you’re experiencing.
These are just a few causes of skin allergies. Oftentimes, it’s impossible to avoid all of the allergens that are causing you problems. If you need relief from your skin allergies, please contact us today. Skin conditions are one of the most common forms of allergies treated by allergy specialists today.
At Allergy & Asthma Associates of Allen, we believe in educating our patients to help them understand their medical conditions. From allergies and asthma to underlying immunological disorders, we offer the latest diagnostic evaluations to properly diagnose and treat these conditions.