Pollen Can ‘lead To An Inflammatory Response’ On The Skin
We’re not just talking puffy eyes, here.
Inflammation can present itself as a rash, itchy areas and redness and is also a result of skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and rosacea.
‘People with sensitive or sensitised skin are most vulnerable to pollen irritation, however, anyone with oily or acne prone skin isnt necessarily immune. The enlarged pores and inflammation associated with oilier skin types allows the pollen proteins to penetrate into the skin through follicles and open sebaceous glands’, explains Dr Meder.
When Should I Call My Healthcare Provider About Hives
Hives can get better without treatment. Call your healthcare provider if you have:
- Hives or swelling that lasts more than a week.
- Infected-looking bumps .
- Recurring hives .
- Severe itching that might even keep you from sleeping.
- Signs of anaphylaxis, including wheezing, shortness of breath or vomiting.
- Swollen lips or face.
Hives And Summer Allergies
Pollen and ragweed are common triggers of seasonal allergies that are prevalent in the spring and fall respectively. However, pollen is still active in the summer, along with many other allergy triggers. Exposure to certain allergy triggers is especially common in summer, including insects bites and stings, the chlorine in swimming pools, and the smoke from campfires.
While not strictly an allergic reaction, heat hives are also a concern for people who undergo allergic reactions in the summer. In some people, overheating can cause a similar histamine reaction to allergy triggers, causing outbreaks of hives. Heat hives usually disappear about an hour after they show up on the skin, and can be extra troublesome when they combine with other summertime allergies.
Read Also: Can Seasonal Allergies Make Your Heart Race
Narrowing Down The Cause
One key to finding the cause of your rash is to observe how long the rash persists. A rash that keeps coming back may be related to hay fever, rather than temporary exposure to something.
Also, what time of year does the rash normally appear? If you notice youre developing recurring rashes consistently during certain seasons , it may be related to the pollens of that season. This is known as seasonal allergies.
Note that allergic reactions arent limited to the pollens in the spring. Fall allergies are common and, in some areas, trees and certain plants grow in the winter and summer that can cause skin irritation. Ragweed and grass can cause hay fever during spring and summer, the two best-known seasons for allergy problems.
Causes Of Pollen Allergies
For all allergies, the immune system reacts to specific allergy trigger molecules . Your immune system produces antibodies that detect the allergen and cause inflammatory reactions and the release of a chemical called histamine. Histamine causes hay fever symptoms, such as itchy and watery nose and eyes, and sneezing.
In Victoria, inland areas tend to have higher pollen counts and northerly winds can bring pollens from inland regions to the coastal areas, including Melbourne. In contrast, the east coast of Australia often has less pollen, because winds tend to blow in from the sea and the Great Dividing Range protects the coast from inland winds. In South Australia and Western Australia, levels of pollen in the air vary, depending on wind direction.
Also Check: Can Allergies Bother Your Ears
What Is A Skin Allergy
A skin allergy is when skin becomes irritated because the immune system reacted to something that is usually harmless. This is called an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction can cause rash, itching, burning, redness, bumps, hives, and swelling. Many different allergens can cause a reaction. Below are some of the most common allergic skin conditions:
Predisposition To Food Allergies
Tree pollen can resemble proteins that are constituents of several pitted fruits. For example, if you are found to be allergic to the birch tree, that allergen strongly cross-reacts with apple, peach, plum, celery, cherry, apricots, kiwi, hazelnuts, almonds, carrots, and some other fruits and nuts.
Symptoms of this type of allergy can include itchiness or swelling of the mouth, throat, and lips. The symptoms are usually localized to the mouth area and do not progress to other body parts. If you develop food allergies, you need to talk to your healthcare provider about medications you can take in case you become exposed.
Read Also: What Does An Air Purifier Do For Allergies
Can Allergies Cause Eczema Rashes And Hives
Bumpy, itchy, red skin can be painful, irritating, and sometimes embarrassing. Many things cause rashes, including allergies, exposure to plants like poison ivy, certain illnesses such as chickenpox and measles, as well as over-reactions to foods and environmental contacts for some people. The most common skin rashes are hives and eczemaboth of which are linked with allergies and sensitivitiesand that is the focus of this article.
Plants: Common Contact Allergy
Poison sumac, poison ivy, and poison oak are all plants native to North America. Their leaves contain oil that irritates most peoples skin and causes a reaction. If you come into contact with these plants, the affected skin area may blister, swell, and itch. Skin allergy due to plants may not occur immediately. Contact your healthcare provider if this happens.
Also Check: Can Allergies Cause Head Pressure
An Introduction To Skin Rash And Seasonal Allergies
Skin rash is a very under-publicised symptom of seasonal allergies. Although it does not affect all seasonal allergies sufferers, it can be extremely irritating for those who do experience it.
Common symptoms of seasonal allergies, such as congestion or itchy eyes, occur when pollen is inhaled, triggering a reaction in these tissues. However, some people also react to pollen landing on their skin. This reaction can result in localised itching which may develop into a rash.
Although not as common, some people also develop hives on their skin from seasonal allergies, which are small bumps which turn white when pressed.
In addition, some people can suffer from seasonal allergies, asthma as well as eczema a triad of conditions which doctors refer to as the atopic triad.
So Why Do I Suddenly Have Allergies
Mostly this is due to allergies working together as mentioned above. However, another common mistake people make is to think that allergies remain the same throughout a persons life. In reality, most peoples allergic triggers change over time.
Many people experience food allergies as children and then grow out of them as they get older. On the other hand, many young adults develop sensitivities to environmental allergens as they age. There are also some people with allergies that remain the same throughout their lives. Even though theyre well-known, their cases are not necessarily the norm.
New allergies can appear in several different ways, with respiratory and skin symptoms among the most common. If youve had a sudden breakout of hives or eczema, a newly developed skin allergy could be the cause. To find out whats going on, we recommend having an online dermatologist or doctor look at it.
You May Like: What Does A Food Allergy Look Like
Looking For Unexpected Links
At first glance, it seems unlikely that allergies and mental health would be linked in any way itchy skin, a runny nose, and a wheezy chest dont seem to be particularly aligned with emotional and cognitive challenges.
Lead study author Dr. Nian-Sheng Tzeng from Tri-Service General Hospital in Taiwan explains why he decided to look for associations.
As a clinician, I observed that some patients with the three As appeared to suffer emotionally. Therefore, I wanted to clarify whether these allergic diseases are associated with psychiatric disorders.
When Dr. Tzeng and his team started to peruse the scientific literature, they found that some previous studies had actually found clues that there might be a relationship.
For instance, a Danish study concluded, Children with eczema, asthma, or hay fever had more emotional, conduct, and hyperactivity problems.
However, overall, results from previous studies were contradictory, and no firm conclusions have been drawn. There was also a notable gap: nobody had looked specifically looked at the link between the three As and the risk of psychiatric disorders.
Dr. Tzeng and his team were intrigued they had found a gap in current understanding and set out to fill it. To do so, they took data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. Across 15 years, they followed people of all ages.
In total, the study involved 46,647 people with allergic diseases and 139,941 without.
What Is The Prognosis For People With Hives
For most people, hives dont cause serious problems. Children often outgrow allergies that cause hives.
For some people, allergic reactions like angioedema can cause anaphylaxis severe swelling of the airways and lungs. If you have this life-threatening condition, you should carry and know when and how to use injectable epinephrine .
Recommended Reading: Is Sneezing A Symptom Of Allergies
Checking For Signs Of Flea Allergies
Flea allergies are quite common for cats. Your veterinarian will check your cat for fleas at the appointment. Interestingly, because allergic cats overgroom, they may remove all or most of the fleas present, so your veterinarian might not see any fleas on your cat. But just because fleas are not seen does not mean they are not the cause for your cats skin disease.
Your veterinarian will ask if you are using monthly flea prevention. If you are not, they will recommend a product that you will apply to your cats skin monthly. Using an effective flea prevention and assessing your cats response to it will help to figure out if your cat is allergic to fleas.
It is especially important to use a veterinarian-recommended flea prevention every month to control fleas. This will not only treat and prevent a cats flea allergies, but it will also reduce any itching caused by fleas.
How Can I Prevent A Skin Allergy
The best way to avoid that rash is to steer clear of the allergen. Your doctor can help you figure out exactly what the cause of your allergy is.
You may get a patch test. Tiny amounts of allergens are put on your skin. Youâll be asked to keep that area dry. After a few days, those areas are checked to see if you get a reaction.
If you do touch a potential allergen, wash the area with soap and water as soon as possible. Get details on common skin irritants to avoid.
Don’t Miss: Do Allergies Cause Bloody Noses
Cold Compresses And Moisturizing Creams
Hay fever rash home remedies can help with the itching and discomfort. Cold compresses, calamine lotion, or colloidal oatmeal baths can soothe irritated, itchy skin, no matter the cause.
Using moisturizing creams several times per day can help too, since dry skin makes itching and eczema feel worse. Choose one that contains emollient ingredients such as petrolatum, mineral oil, squalane, or dimethicone.
Pollen Can ‘inhibit Collagen Production’
‘Scientists used to believe that pollen only affected the skin as a secondary reaction to the primary allergic response already occurring in the nose, mouth, airways and lungs. However, it is now known that pollen has a direct effect on the skin even entering the skin itself though its hair follicles’, explains Dr Charlene DeHaven, M.D. Clinical Director iS Clinical.
One of the major ways it affects the skin is by restricting collagen production. In short, collagen is the protein that gives skin its strength and elasticity, and without it, skin tends to look slack, deflated and peppered with fine lines and wrinkles – not cool.
Recommended Reading: How To Know If You Have Dust Allergies
Why Rash Can Occur With Hay Fever
Hay fever rashes develop when the body mounts an immune response to otherwise harmless substances in the air, like pollen from blooming trees, weeds, grasses, and also dust and pet dander.
When you inhale these allergens, mast cells in your body release a chemical called histamine into the bloodstream. When histamine is released into the dermis , it causes a reaction in the skin, creating a red, inflamed, itchy rash.
Hay fever rashes arise from different types of conditions, including allergic contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis . Some people are more prone to developing a hay fever rash than others.
- Allergic contact dermatitis: This is a type of rash that develops when your skin touches a substance you’re allergic to. This reaction can happen completely independently of hay fever , but it can also occur along with it because of a shared trigger like pollen.
- Atopic dermatitis : The association between this skin condition and hay fever is twofold: People with eczema are much more likely to also have hay fever and asthma. Additionally, hay fever can trigger a flare-up of eczema.
Many people with eczema find their skin condition is worse during the prime hay fever seasons of spring, summer, and early fall.
How Can You Find Relief
Preventing allergy rashes starts with treating the allergy. Your dermatologist may refer you to an allergist to diagnose and treat your skins sensitivities. However, if youre experiencing a condition like atopic dermatitis or eczema, a dermatologist can help you find relief. They may recommend an over-the-counter product or prescribe a cream. Just be sure to always talk to a dermatologist before trying a product on your rash.
If allergy season triggers your eczema, it can be helpful to keep a detailed log of your flare ups. This will help your dermatologist narrow down the cause of the flare up and recommend appropriate treatment. They may want to rule out other potential irritants like laundry detergent, fabrics, and other household items. And again, they may refer you to an allergist.
Overall, staying away from allergy triggers and covering up your skin can be helpful during allergy season. This is especially true when youll be spending the day outdoors. If you have indoor allergies, be sure to clean your home regularly to remove dust, mold, pollen, and pet dander from surfaces.
Don’t Miss: Does Urgent Care Do Allergy Test
How Does Pollen Affect Skin Care
Seasonal allergies seem to attack every inch of your body. From inflamed sinuses and watery eyes to dry and itchy skin, there is often little reprieve from the nightmare that so many allergy-sufferers have come to accept as being part of spring. While for some the suffering takes place in silence, for others the seasonal pollen attack is anything but private. Just as pollen can attack your sinuses and cause mass hysteria in your body, for some, the external attack is just as real.
Seasonal Allergy Sufferers
Chances are you can spot someone who struggles with seasonal allergies a mile away. They are sneezing, their eyes are watering, and they have a general look of misery mixed with fatigue on their face. But those are far from the only external symptoms of seasonal allergies.
Seasonal allergies cause inflammation throughout the entire body, including on the skin. Repeated exposure to pollen and other springtime air-borne pollutants can cause the skin to develop a yellowish hue, leaving your skin appearing dulled and off-color. What is more, the inflammation typically causes skin to become dry and itchy, in many cases causing the skin to become red and even flaky as the spring season wears on.
Strategies that can help you improve your skin health during the spring season include:
For more support with springtime skin-care, talk to your dermatologist. Call us at Avail Dermatology today at 770-251-5111 to schedule a personal consultation and evaluation.
Unproven Methods To Test For Allergies
A number of methods claim to test for allergies, but they have not been medically or scientifically proven. They can be costly and could lead to dangerous avoidance of certain foods. The organisation representing allergists recommends that you do not use certain methods to have potential allergies tested. These methods include:
- cytotoxic food testing
Always speak with your doctor if you are thinking of using a complementary medicine or therapy to test for allergies.
You May Like: What Can Help For Allergies
How Do Allergies Work
One of the most frustrating things about allergies is how little sense they seem to make. For example, Its fairly obvious why hazardous materials or infections cause your skin to react. However, why should common foods and environmental triggers do the same?
What Allergens Do to the Body
Allergy and illness symptoms have a lot in common because theyre both caused by the immune system. Take hives, for example: simply put, hives are typically caused by a reaction in the skin that causes it to inflame or swell. This reaction occurs when the immune system is fighting off an invader.
When you get hives from an infection, its a sign that your immune system is working to get you healthy again. An allergen is a normally harmless substance such as peanuts or pollen that causes certain peoples immune systems to go haywire.
When someone with a peanut allergy comes in contact with peanuts, their immune system thinks the peanut proteins are threats and launches a counterattack. Depending on the allergy, this counterattack can range from a mild skin rash to a life-threatening reaction.
How Allergens Work Together
Its a common mistake to think that youre only allergic to one thing. In reality, most people are allergic to several different allergens. If you are allergic to multiple allergens, you may notice symptoms only when youre exposed to several of your allergens in a short period of time.
How Do I Treat It
Most skin allergies fade on their own. In the meantime, relieve the symptoms. Hereâs how:
- Wear loose clothing.
- Put cool compresses on the area or take a cool shower.
- Use calamine lotion and hydrocortisone creams.
- Soak in an oatmeal or milk bath.
If your allergy really bothers you or hangs around for more than few weeks, see your doctor. They can prescribe stronger antihistamines or steroids to help you feel better faster.
In rare cases, skin allergies can lead to a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. If you — or someone around you — is wheezing, has chest tightness, or trouble breathing, get medical care immediately. Learn how to treat skin allergies at home.
Show Sources
You May Like: How To Make Allergies Go Away
