Contact dermatitis is a skin reaction or rash that is caused by certain substance that come into contact with your skin.
What does Contact Dermatitis look like?
Contact dermatitis can be itchy or painful and can appear red and scaly. At times there are blisters or open skin.
What are some common triggers of Contact Dermatitis?
Common triggers include metals such as Nickel sulfate, perfumes or fragrances which are added to soaps and lotions, dyes, and latex.
How common is Food Allergy and why does it seem so much more common?
Nearly 4% of children and 2% of adults have food allergies. There is some evidence that the presence of food allergy is increasing, but the reason that this may be occurring is not fully understood yet.
What is Food Allergy?
Food allergy is defined as an allergic reaction to a food allergen (usually the protein portion of the food). In a patient with a food allergy, he/she has specific antibodies called IgE antibodies that recognize specific food allergens. The binding between the food allergen and the food specific IgE molecule then lead to allergic symptoms. Food allergy is typically immediate (occurs within 6 hours of ingestion) and reproducible (occurs with each ingestion). Food allergy predominately occurs with ingestion of the food although a smaller group of food allergic patients may react with skin symptoms after skin contact with a food allergen. Aerosolized food allergen reactions can occur but are very rare and are more common with fish and shellfish allergy.