Monthly Archives: August 2018
Contact Dermatitis
What is Contact Dermatitis?
Have you experienced any type of weird rash or skin irritation after using a new kind of detergent or skincare product? Well, if that’s so, then it was probably a form of contact dermatitis. While many people may be suffering or have suffered from contact dermatitis at one time, not everybody knows its exact cause and symptoms. In this article, we’re going to address some of the symptoms of the condition, how it can be treated, and what it is exactly.
What is Contact Dermatitis?
Contact dermatitis, as its name implies, is a violent skin reaction that occurs when certain irritants enter in contact with the skin. There are mainly 3 types of contact dermatitis: irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis and photo contact dermatitis.
Allergic contact dermatitis is when the skin enters into contact with a foreign element and has an allergic reaction. This can be anything from gold or nickel jewelry, chemicals or perfumes, latex gloves or elements like poison ivy and poison oak.
Irritant contact dermatitis is when an irritant enters in contact with the skin, such as bleach, battery acid, drain cleaners and other cleaning products.
Photo contact dermatitis is rarer and occurs when certain chemicals found in skincare and body treatments become irritants after being exposed to the sun.
What are the Symptoms of Contact Dermatitis?
In the case of allergic contact dermatitis, you might start seeing hives, scaly, flaky or dry skin, skin redness, oozing blisters, darkened or leathery skin, burning skin or extreme itching. You might also become more sensitive to sunlight.
When it comes to irritant contact dermatitis, you might see blistering, swelling, ulcerations, tight or stiff skin, extreme dryness resulting in cracking skin and open sores forming crusts.
What are the Treatments for Contact Dermatitis?
In most cases, symptoms will go away after a while when you stop contact with the irritant. If you’re suffering from irritant contact dermatitis, then you should first refrain from scratching your skin. This can actually make the problem worse and may result in infections which will only be treatable through antibiotics.
You’ll need to clean the area with lukewarm water and mild soap to get rid of the irritants. Identify any products you feel might be at cause and stop using them. You could also treat the area with calamine lotion, cortisol or hydrocortisone cream. An over the counter antihistamine may also reduce symptoms if you’re dealing with an allergic reaction.
However, while most cases of contact dermatitis will subside after a while, it would be wise to see a doctor if the condition is affecting a large portion of your body, is close to your mouth or eyes, or doesn’t stop after treatment.
If you suffer from contact dermatitis, contact us today to schedule an appointment with the best allergist in New York
Hay Fever aka Allergic Rhinitis
What is Allergic Rhinitis?
Everyone is familiar with hay fever, but if you mention allergic rhinitis, most people will draw a blank. Allergic rhinitis is actually the scientific name for hay fever and is an allergic reaction that causes inflammation in the nasal passages. While it can be inconvenient, it can be treated, and the symptoms can be alleviated by taking the right steps. Let’s look at what allergic rhinitis is, how it can be identified and what can be done about it.
What is Allergic Rhinitis?
Allergic rhinitis is simply an allergic reaction that occurs when you enter into contact with certain allergens. Your immune system will often overreact to the allergen, leading to nose inflammation. While it’s named hay fever, the main culprit is usually pollen and symptoms are usually more prevalent during seasonal changes. It has been estimated that between 10% and 30% of people worldwide and 8% of US adults have suffered from allergic rhinitis at some point.
What are the Symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis?
Some of the symptoms of allergic rhinitis may include sneezing, a stuffy, itchy or runny nose, excessive coughing, itchy or watery eyes, sore throat, frequent headaches, dark circles or excessive fatigue, hives and extremely itchy or scratchy skin that can weep and blister.
Most of these symptoms will manifest themselves once you enter in contact with the allergen. In some cases, symptoms like fatigue or headaches will only manifest themselves after prolonged and continuous exposition. And even though it is often referred to as hay fever, fever isn’t actually a symptom.
Is There a Treatment for Allergic Rhinitis?
There are tons of different ways that you can treat allergic rhinitis. These can range from OTC and prescribed medication, to home remedies and alternative treatment.
Antihistamines will often be the first form of treatment that will be recommended to treat the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. They block histamine production, and since histamines are responsible for most of the symptoms, you’ll stop experiencing them soon after. Some examples of popular over the counter antihistamines include Benadryl, Claritin or Allegra.
Decongestants can also be used to treat symptoms, but only for a short period. They can help you relieve sinus pressure and a stuffy nose. However, you shouldn’t take them for too long or your symptoms could actually aggravate over time. Some examples of OTC decongestants include Sudafed, Zyrtec-D or Afrin.
In severe cases, your doctor might prescribe allergy shots as well. They will help diminish your symptoms over time. However, you have to be aware that you’ll need to be dedicated long term to the treatment for it to work.
If you feel like you’re suffering from allergic rhinitis or thinking of using medication, it’s always better to talk with a doctor first so that they can make recommendations. Call us at 212-319-5282 or Email us today to schedule an appointment with the best allergy specialist in New York City.
Serving all of New York City and the Tri State Area including Zip Codes: Top Allergist NYC Midtown, Chelsea and Clinton: 10001, 10011, 10018, 10019, 10020, 10036 | Gramercy Park and Murray Hill: 10010, 10016, 10017, 10022 | Greenwich Village and Soho: 10012, 10013, 10014 | Lower Manhattan: 10004, 10005, 10006, 10007, 10038, 10280 | Lower East Side: 10002, 10003, 10009 | Upper East Side: 10021, 10028, 10044, 10128 | Upper West Side: 10023, 10024, 10025
[wpseo_address oneline="0" show_state="1" show_phone="1" show_email="1"]
[wpseo_map width="500" height="300" zoom="12" map_style="roadmap" scrollable="1" show_route="0" show_state="1" show_url="1"]