UNDERSTANDING ALLERGY: IRRITATION OR ALLERGY?
At this point, you may wonder whether your problem is really a skin allergy or simply an irritation. Irritation can mimic the beginning stages of an allergic reaction: dry skin, with perhaps a mild rash and itching; or, if the problem continues, swelling and cracked skin. But the difference is quite clear: irritation is liable to show up in anyone who has an intense or prolonged contact with harsh chemicals or strong detergents, or whose hands are in and out of water all day. Irritated skin loses its fatty protective cells and becomes chapped and inflamed. Housekeepers, bartenders and dishwashers get ‘dishpan hands’ (or ‘housewives’ eczema,’ as it’s sometimes died) from the sheer physical or chemical insult to their skin. And irritation is likely to develop in anyone under these conditions.
An allergic reaction, on the other hand follows a contact with a substance that is perfectly harmless for most people. And there’s usually a time lag of anywhere from a few hours to a day or two between the contact and the dermatitis. For distance, eczema from hand cream usually appears a few days after a new brand is used. , ‘
Nevertheless, irritated skin is weaker and therefore more apt to become allergic. And irritation can aggravate existing skin allergy. So while there is a difference between them, allergy and irritation go hand in hand. In fact, a large part of successful skin allergy control involves avoiding any unnecessary irritation.
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Tags: Allergies