Skin Irritations and Allergic Reactions

Skin irritations and allergic reactions are sometimes serious, and most of the time, uncomfortable forms of allergic disorder. It is caused by a reaction in the immune system and can take different forms, with different causes. The most common skin irritations and allergic reactions today are atopic dermatitis, angioedema, allergic contact dermatitis and urticaria.

Atope dermatitis is also called eczema and is a skin irritation that affects mostly the face, elbows and knees. The most prominent symptom here is itching that can be intense sometimes. The lesions here tend to scale and flake over time while there may be oozing with bacterial or viral infections start here with scratching. To cure dermatitis, it is important to first identify the antigen. The most common triggers are emotional stress, allergens, overheating or sweating, some foods and contact with some irritants like soaps, pets, wools and other agents.

With angioedema, you find swelling in the deeper skin layers and it is sometimes connected with hives. There is no itching or redness here; while the allergy takes place in soft tissue like the mouth, genitals and eyelids.
Urticaria is hives and is red and very itchy. The swelling of the skin on the body ranges in size, and may appear anywhere on the body. Acute cases of hives are associated with viral infections, food, drugs or latex which can go away with or without medical intervention or removal of the trigger. In fact, there are some people who suffer from chronic hives practically everyday, for months and years. The trigger for these people may be various circumstances like scratching, pressure and nerves where the elimination of the trigger does not have much effect on the course of the allergy.

Skin irritations and allergic reactions such as allergic contact dermatitis are triggered when the skin comes in contact with some allergic substance. This reaction starts after a day or two where the skin becomes red, itchy and inflamed. Sometimes, there may also be blisters. The most common cause for this skin irritation is poison ivy; but other plants, cosmetics, medications and metals can also trigger a reaction. It is possible to treat allergic contact dermatitis by scrubbing the affected area with soap and water after its exposure to the allergen. Sometimes it may be necessary to take some prescribed antihistamine and cortisone medications, depending on the severity of the skin condition.

The best remedies for skin irritations and allergic reactions are witch hazel that acts as astringent that can relieve itchy skin rashes. It is also be used for treating sunburn. St. John's Wort is effective in treating skin irritations and allergic reactions with its astringent properties. Aloe vera is another herb used for treating minor skin irritations as it produces anti inflammatory, anti bacterial and anti fungal properties. Besides this, jewel weed and wild pansy are some herbs that are effective in treating skin irritations and allergic reactions.