Prevent skin allergies in these various ways

Allergic skin reactions, such as rashes, hives, and redness are quite disturbing. Conditions that occur as a result of the immune system's response to these harmless compounds can actually be avoided. So, what methods need to be done to prevent allergic skin reactions?

How to prevent allergic skin reactions

For those of you who are allergic to something, such as certain drugs and cosmetics, you may need to start exploring how to manage the condition. This can be done with the help of a doctor.

Keep in mind that the way to prevent allergic skin reactions depends on the type of allergies you have. Here are some things you can do to reduce the risk of developing skin allergy symptoms.

1. Recognize allergens

Allergy prevention efforts will not be possible if you do not recognize what causes an allergic skin reaction, namely allergens.

For example, there are some people who develop allergy symptoms after exposure to metals such as nickel on their skin. Although they don't appear immediately when you first use them, metals are allergens that cause allergic reactions.

If you are not sure if you remember the signs that you experience are similar to other illnesses, consult a doctor. Your doctor will help you identify allergens through a number of allergy skin tests.

That way, you can identify what is causing the skin problem and avoid the triggers.

2. Avoid allergens

After successfully recognizing what causes allergies to appear, the next way to prevent allergic skin reactions is to avoid the triggers.

Sounds easy, but it's actually quite difficult to do. The reason is, some allergens may be easy to avoid. However, there are not a few that you often encounter in everyday life.

If you can't avoid a skin allergen, try to reduce your exposure to the allergen.

This may often occur in people with water allergies because humans basically need water to survive. Reactions that arise due to water allergies can actually be avoided in several ways, such as showering less often than normal people.

If you are still confused, ask the doctor and ask their help, what can be done to avoid allergens.

3. Do not scratch the itchy area

Itching is a symptom of a skin allergy that is quite common. If this happens, most people will certainly scratch the itchy area. In fact, scratching an itchy area due to allergies can actually aggravate the skin condition.

Instead of scratching the itchy skin, try to treat the uncomfortable feeling with natural remedies. Here are some ways you can relieve itching due to allergies without scratching.

• Apply a cool compress to the itchy area for 5-10 minutes.
• Bathe with oatmeal, especially blistered skin.
• Moisturize with additives and fragrance-free products.
• Apply an itch-relieving ointment that suits your skin condition.

In addition to reducing itching, you should also find ways to prevent itchy skin due to allergies. How to?

• Take a shower with warm water for about 10 minutes.
• Use lotions and soaps labeled "fragrance free" to minimize contact with allergens.
• Use the medicine before moisturizing the skin.
• Wear loose cotton clothing.
• Manage stress because stress can make itchy skin worse.

4. Always on hand drugs for skin allergies

Taking medication is one of the most effective ways to prevent and manage allergies to your skin.

You may be able to try over-the-counter medicines when symptoms appear. Symptoms such as itching and rashes can usually be relieved by using over-the-counter medications, such as:

• low-dose corticosteroid creams, such as hydrocortisone,
• antihistamines to block histamine that causes allergic reactions, and
• itch-relieving lotions, such as calamine.

Therefore, always having skin allergy medication on hand is an important role to be on the alert when symptoms appear.

5. Keeps skin moisturized

In addition to providing medicines, it turns out that keeping the skin moisturised is important in order to prevent allergic skin reactions. Moisturizer helps protect the outermost layer of skin, namely the stratum corneum, or skin barrier.

For those who suffer from allergies as well as eczema, their skin barrier tends to be problematic. This makes their skin more sensitive to allergens.

In addition, this condition also makes it difficult for the skin to retain water, resulting in drier and itchy skin. As a result, allergy symptoms on the skin are getting worse. If not treated promptly, a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) is at risk.

However, you shouldn't just choose a moisturizing lotion for skin that is sensitive to allergens. Here are a few things to pay attention to when using moisturizing lotions.

• Apply the ointment your doctor prescribes before using the lotion.
• Apply the moisturizer evenly over the skin three minutes before or after showering.
• Choose a moisturizer labeled "fragrance free" and "dye free".
• Use a clean tool to remove the moisturizer from the container.
• Rub the moisturizer between your hands and apply it to your body from top to bottom.
• Do not reduce the amount even if the moisturizer feels sticky on your skin.
• Apply moisturizer to your hands whenever you wash them or come in contact with water.

If you are confused about where to start, ask your doctor for an appropriate solution.

6. Live a healthy life

Preventing allergies to the skin needs to be balanced by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, from eating nutritious foods to getting enough sleep. A healthy lifestyle is said to minimize the effects of allergy symptoms.

In addition, according to research from Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, managing stress is also quite important in managing allergies. The more stressed you are, the aggravating your symptoms and can increase the frequency of allergies.

This is evidenced by analyzing 179 university employees who filled out a questionnaire about stress and their depression symptoms.

The questionnaire was then linked to an online diary containing the same day's allergic reactions. After that, the participants' cortisol levels were also collected for 2 times the 14 days of the study.

The result, 39% of participants reported experiencing allergy symptoms with a higher level of stress than the group without allergy symptoms. In fact, bad moods and allergic reactions are linked.

Therefore, having a healthy lifestyle and managing stress turns out to be important to prevent allergic skin reactions from getting worse. You may want to start doing some of the activities below to manage stress.

• Meditation.
• Practice relaxing your body, such as breathing deeply.
• Get regular exercise.
• Take time to rest and engage in hobbies that you enjoy.

In fact, preventing allergic skin reactions depends on the allergen in each person. Types of allergies, such as sun allergies, clothing allergies, and cosmetic allergies, can be avoided by reducing exposure to the cause.

If you have any questions, consult a doctor for the right solution.