Allergy

Is It Possible To Have A Skin Allergy To Sunlight?

A small number of people develop rashes after exposure to sunlight. There are a number of syndromes in which exposure to ultraviolet light, either outdoors or in a tanning salon,...

How Should Contact Dermatitis Be Treated?

Treatment of irritant contact dermatitis usually involves the cessation of the aggravating activity, initiation of intensive therapy with moisturizers, and if necessary, a short course of topical steroids. Long-term prevention...

What Is Contact Dermatitis?

Contact dermatitis is a broad term referring to an inflammatory condition of the skin caused by direct contact with an external substance. Irritant contact dermatitis is the most common type...

Is This Eczema? Itch On Arms And Legs?

My Child Has Rough, Dry Bumps That Don’t Itch On Her Upper Arms And Legs. Is This Eczema? Rashes that do not itch are not usually eczema. Rough, dry bumps...

What Can I Do About My Child’s Eczema?

In any patient with atopic dermatitis, the first step is to moisturize the skin thoroughly. In the past, physicians routinely recommended avoidance of bathing, believing that it caused further drying...

What is Allergic Eczema?

Allergic eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic itchy skin rash. Atopic dermatitis most often begins in infancy or early childhood and resolves or improves in most cases...

What Treatments Work Best For Hives?

Initial treatment of acute and chronic hives with or with-out angioedema relies upon oral H1 antihistamines. For many years, physicians believed that the older, sedating antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine and...

What Causes Hives?

Hives and angioedema can be divided into two categories based upon the duration of symptoms: acute and chronic. Acute hives are defined as lesions that come and go for a...

What Are Hives?

Hives, also called “urticaria,” is a type of skin rash that appears as a red, raised welt ranging in size from half an inch to 2 or 3 inches in...

How Is Latex Allergy Treated?

After A Dental Cleaning, I Developed Swelling Of My Mouth. I Had Similar Problems While Blowing Up Balloons. What Does This Indicate? These two events both involved oral contact with...

Am I Allergic To Novacaine?

I Received A Novacaine Shot From My Dentist And Felt Very Dizzy And Sick To My Stomach. Am I Allergic To Novacaine? True allergic reactions to local anesthetics such as...

Do Allergy Shots Work For Insect Allergy?

Allergy shots for insect stings, also called venom immunotherapy, are the most effective known treatment to prevent allergic reactions to stings from honeybees, yellow jackets, hornets, paper wasps, and fire...

How Can I Keep From Getting Stung In The Future?

For an allergic patient, there are a number of ways to prevent future insect stings. Suggestions include: Avoid using perfumes, scented soaps, and other sweet or pungent body products. Avoid...

How Do I Know What Type Of Insect Stung Me?

It is often very difficult to determine the source of a sting. This is why it is recommended that patients who have experienced an allergic reaction to an insect sting...