Allergic Skin Conditions

Multiple skin conditions are associated with allergies. Hives are often associated with allergies, but chronic hives do not actually have a specific allergic trigger; often times, the cause for the hives is never found. Hives can be a frustrating condition resulting in chronic itching, loss of sleep, increased stress, and a decreased quality of life.  Fortunately, there are treatments that often avoid the use of chronic steroids to treat chronic hives; these newer medications, including Xolair, are safe and very well-tolerated when prescribed under the guidance of a trained physician.

Atopic dermatitis or eczema is a condition that is associated with allergy. It is most common in young children and many children either outgrow their eczema or have improvement in their symptoms as they get older.  Children who have eczema are at an increased risk for other allergic conditions, including food allergy, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), and asthma.  Older children and adults can also develop eczema.  New treatments, such as Dupixent, which has recently been approved for patients over the age of 6, can drastically improve the skin and quality of life for patients with eczema.

Contact Dermatitis: Some skin allergies are caused when the skin contacts certain chemicals and products. Contact dermatitis looks like eczema and there are similarities between them. This form of skin rash is often delayed after exposure to the allergen. The rash can also be associated with swelling, blistering, and oozing.  We offer allergy patch testing to determine if a contact allergen is responsible for the rash.