| Allergies can be defined as a hypersensitivity to | | | | Betamethasone Dexmethasone Clobetasol |
| some substance. This sensitivity can present itself in | | | | Fluocinolene Clobetasone Desonide Flumethasone |
| three basic ways: | | | | Difluocortolone Dexsoxymethasone |
| 1. Breathing system presentations, such as rhinitis and | | | | Some natural herbs are also used for allergy relief. |
| asthma. | | | | For skin allergies, aloe is helpful. If you've got an aloe |
| 2. Intestinal allergies such as diarrhea. | | | | vera plant, a common houseplant, just break off a |
| 3. Skin allergies, such as dermatitis. | | | | leaf and rub the juice liberally over the reddened skin. |
| Skin allergies are very common, but can also be | | | | It will stop the itching and relieve the redness quickly. |
| confused with other common skin irritations, such as | | | | Other prepared and packaged herbal remedies are |
| insect bites. It's even harder to determine where the | | | | helpful. As always, check the label to make sure they |
| allergic reaction came from. When you suddenly find | | | | do not contain any drugs you're trying to avoid. (And |
| a red patch of skin or a rash, ask yourself: | | | | if they do, they must be classified as a drug, not an |
| 1. Does the irritated skin cover a large part of your | | | | herbal remedy by law.) |
| body or only a small patch, such as the palm of your | | | | Most of the time skin allergies are easily relieved and |
| hand? If the latter, it may be due to a contact | | | | not too serious to your overall health. However, you |
| allergy. Stay away from the suspected allergen. If | | | | should consult your doctor in any of these situations: |
| the marking is broader, over a larger section or even | | | | 1. You've tried a topical treatment and it did not |
| the entire body, suspect a food allergy - something | | | | work. You see no reduction of the redness, swelling |
| carried with the blood flow through your body. | | | | or rash. |
| 2. Have you eaten any unusual foods; something | | | | 2. You have another more severe allergic reaction in |
| you've never eaten before? Have you started taking | | | | addition to your skin allergy such as difficulty |
| a new prescription medicine? Street drugs? How | | | | breathing, nausea and vomiting, fast heartbeat or |
| about vitamins or other food supplements? | | | | headache. These symptoms could be precursors for |
| 3. Are you using a new detergent for washing your | | | | the often-deadly anaphylactic shock and need to be |
| clothes? | | | | treated by a medical professional immediately. |
| It's important to do this analysis as soon as you can, | | | | It's a good idea to get an allergy test today. It's fairly |
| because it's easy to forget what you ate or came in | | | | simple. An allergy specialist will give you a "scratch" |
| contact with as time moves on. You're much more | | | | test where he or she will introduce very small |
| likely to hit on the source or your allergy if you think | | | | amounts of common allergens into your skin. After |
| about it as soon as you notice the adverse reaction. | | | | about a half hour, he'll be able to tell if you have |
| If you're having a mild allergic reaction you can relieve | | | | adverse skin reactions to any of the allergens he |
| skin redness and itching with a corticosteroid | | | | used. These tests are not painful or harmful, but |
| combined with antihistamine cream or ointment. Here | | | | they can go a long way to keeping you healthy, |
| are some topical corticosteroids used in treating | | | | since you'll know what substances you need to avoid. |
| allergies: | | | | |