What Can I Do About Recurrent Sinusitis?
Whether you’re dealing with brief, recurrent bouts of sinusitis or the condition is chronic, it’s a good idea to rule out nasal allergies. Pesky allergies may be behind your symptoms, and treatment can help!
Tips for Eliminating Dermatitis Triggers
When you’re diagnosed with atopic or contact dermatitis, it means your skin becomes inflamed in response to a trigger. Your skin may become red, and you may experience blisters that ooze. While symptoms vary from person to person, dermatitis almost always causes intense itching.
If you’ve been diagnosed with or suspect that you or a loved one has dermatitis, seeing an allergy and immunology specialist is the first step to getting effective treatment. In this blog, Ulrike Ziegner, MD, at Riviera Allergy Medical Center explains how you can avoid dermatitis triggers.
Atopic dermatitis
While the term dermatitis is commonly used to describe various skin rashes, there are two types of dermatitis: atopic and contact. Atopic dermatitis is a genetic condition that parents pass down to their children. While it can occur at any time, it’s most often diagnosed in infants and very young children. Some children grow out of atopic dermatitis, and the condition goes into remission in adulthood. About 50% of people who are diagnosed with atopic dermatitis as children will continue to experience symptoms as adults.
Symptoms
Atopic dermatitis is strongly linked to environmental allergies. However, some people find that certain foods trigger flare-ups or cause their symptoms to worsen.
Infants with atopic dermatitis may have:
- Red patches of skin
- Rash on cheeks, neck, and trunk
- Dry patches of skin
- Rash that oozes
In adolescents and adults, typical symptoms are:
- Rash on creases of hands, inner elbows, wrists, behind knees, ankles, and neck
- Dry, scaly skin
- Rash that crusts, cracks or bleeds
Triggers
The most common atopic dermatitis triggers are:
- Allergens (Food and Environmental Allergies)
- Stress
- Sweat
- Temperatures that are too hot or too cold
- Hormones
Controlling atopic dermatitis triggers
It isn’t always possible to eliminate atopic dermatitis triggers, but you can do things to reduce your triggers and control flare-ups. Many people experience flare-ups when they sweat or their skin becomes too hot. If this sounds like you, do as much as you can to keep your skin cool and dry. In the summer, carry a towel with you and blot away sweat. Dr. Ziegner can perform an allergy test to hone in on any potential allergies that are triggering your flare-ups.
Limiting your exposure to allergens can also help to manage flare-ups. Children and adults with atopic dermatitis have skin that is dry and sensitive. Using a specially formulated moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated can help you avoid triggering a flare-up. Dr. Ziegner can provide a comprehensive evaluation and discuss the best ways for you to manage your atopic dermatitis.
Contact dermatitis
Symptoms
Children and adults with contact dermatitis develop a rash when their skin comes in contact with certain substances. The immune system overreacts, and a rash develops over time. Symptoms include:
- Blisters
- Dry, cracked skin
- Redness
- Skin that feels hot to the touch
- Itching
- Swelling
Triggers
People who have contact dermatitis typically experience symptoms (Please eliminate: immediate!) upon contact with the trigger, commonly as delayed reactions. Triggers can vary, but the most common contact dermatitis triggers are:
- Metals
- Soaps, shampoos, detergents, fabric softeners
- Rubber/Latex
- Fragrances
- Dyes, including hair dye
- Shaving cream,deodorants
- Ointments, creams and lotions (cosmetics and drugs)
- Make up
Controlling contact dermatitis triggers
Limiting your exposure to your triggers plays a major role in successfully managing contact dermatitis. (Please scratch that sentence: Because symptoms tend to occur immediately upon exposure to the trigger, patients often have some idea of what substances trigger or make their symptoms worse.) Dr. Ziegner specializes in diagnosing and treating dermatitis in patients of all ages, and he can help you determine the substances that trigger your flare-ups.
Once you’re aware of your triggers, you can make the appropriate changes and adjustments to limit your exposure, so you can get flare-ups under control.
To learn more about controlling dermatitis flare-ups, or to see if you have dermatitis, book an appointment online or over the phone with Riviera Allergy Medical Center today.
You Might Also Enjoy...
Our Top Tips for Staying on Top of Your Seasonal Allergies This Spring
While seasonal allergies can be a nuisance, they don't have to derail your springtime fun. By taking some simple proactive steps, you can reduce your symptoms and reclaim the joy of the season.
At-Home Remedies to Help Avoid Eczema Triggers
With some simple and practical strategies, you can take steps to manage eczema triggers at home. It may take some time and persistence, but the results of improved symptoms are well worth it.
I Think My Child Has Food Allergies: What Should I Do?
You can take informed steps toward safeguarding your child’s health when you suspect they may have a food allergy. Schedule a visit with an allergy specialist to get the answer you need so you have a clear path forward.
What You Should Know About the Safety of Popular Natural Products for Allergic Disease
Taking natural products to manage allergies without first consulting an allergy specialist is risky. Natural products may cause unwanted side effects and interact with medications or exacerbate underlying conditions.
Three Vaccines You Need This Winter: Flu, COVID-19, and RSV
As the colder months approach, the need for proactive health care becomes paramount. The flu, COVID-19, and RSV are leading concerns during this time of year. Ensuring timely vaccinations is a vital step toward safeguarding your health and wellness.