Home Remedies for Skin Allergies

Skin allergies (also called “allergic contact dermatitis”) occur when your skin comes in contact with an allergen that your skin is sensitive or allergic to. A skin allergy is a reaction caused by a substance that comes in contact with the skin, thus a skin allergy. Some types of contact skin allergies are dermatitis, eczema and hives.

Skin Allergies are one of the most prevalent causes of skin conditions. Generally, they are caused by an immune system which becomes hypersensitive after exposure to certain substances which it recognizes as harmful. As a result of this exposure, the body’s immune system releases huge amounts of antibodies to combat these “supposedly” harmful substances. The release of these immune cells may then cause an adverse reaction in other cells within the body.

Causes of Skin Allergies:

Some products that can cause skin allergies are: metals, such as nickel which you may find in jewelry. The fragrances in perfumes can also cause skin allergies. Hair dyes and permanent solutions, latex, bath powders and tape are even more products that often cause the problem of skin allergies. Let’s not forget, poisonous plants such as poison ivy which can cause vary irritating skin allergies too. Allergens are also encountered in pets, in particular, long haired animals. Skin allergies can also be caused by a range of food additives and ingredients such as pork, fish, eggs, chicken, soy, preservatives and dyes, dairy, and poultry products.

Types of Skin Allergies:

There are three main types of skin allergies:

Contact Dermatitis

Food Related Allergies

Atopy Inhaled Dermatitis

Symptoms of Skin Allergies:

- Redness

- Swelling

- Stinging

- Burning or blisters

- Itching

- Cracked and painful skin

Treatment of Skin Allergies:

1) Water - drink two to three litres of water daily to detoxify.

2) Have a rich diet full of vegetables, fruits. Increase the fibre content in your daily diet. Avoid excess refined sugar, sweets as it damages collagen in skin and makes it lose its elasticity.

3) Invigorate your sluggish lifestyle. Come on, get moving!! Go to the gym or just stretch.

4) Restrict intake of alcohol and caffeine.

5) Keep stress at bay.

6) Go for a daily skin care regime- i.e. cleanse, tone and moisturize.

7) Apply a moisturizer to hydrate your skin externally. A homemade moisturizer is a mixture of cucumber, juice and buttermilk.

8) Go for an exfoliation once a fortnight either at a professional salon, or at home. It helps remove dead cells and revitalize the skin through blood circulation. Oatmeal combined with mashed apple is an excellent home scrub

9) Do not forget to apply sunscreen with a SPF of minimum 15 at least 10 minutes before going out of house. If you get a suntan, relieve yourself with a mixture of curd and cucumber juice.

10) Use cosmetics depending on your skin type. Learn about your skin type first and then try commercial products.