What exactly is a skin allergy?

A skin allergy,also known as contact dermatitis, is a reaction your skin has when it comes into contact with something that it is allergic to.

What are some of the most common things that cause a skin allergy?

There are quite a few things that may cause contact dermatitis, the most common usually are perfumes, make up, latex, hair dye and household cleaners. Some people are not aware they are even coming into contact with some of these items, and this makes it even harder to diagnose what the allergy is.

For instance, latex is a substance that is used in many things, not just gloves and condoms. You'd be surprised to find out latex, which is a natural rubber, is also found in: clothing - such as nylon and spandex, coupons, magazines, carpet backing and chewing gum.

And this list is short compared to the all-inclusive one. If you suspect you might be allergic to latex, do some more research to get the whole list of what contains latex, and be sure to let any doctor or dentist know you may be allergic.

Now, some more common skin allergens are things like poison oak and poison ivy. Most people at some time or another in their life will no doubt come in contact with one of these plants and develop the itchy and painful skin irritation.

There is another form of a contact dermatitis which can actually be brought about by another type of allergen, be it internal or external, and that is hives. You could have an allergy to a certain type of medication or an allergic reaction to a certain soap, and hives would be the awful result.

Certain foods can cause hives. The most common culprits are nuts and chocolate. A sad thing indeed. The good thing about hives (if there is anything good about it) is although very uncomfortable, hives are generally short lived, lasting only 2 days or so.
So far there is no known cure for skin allergies. But most can be treated well with medications such as over the counter antihistamines.

Again, if you think you might have a skin allergy, the best thing to do is to test yourself around certain products and research research research. Once you know what the allergen is, stay away from it as much as possible.