Skin allergy medication and various treatments to treat the symptoms

Medications and skin allergies

In general, allergy medications and treatments are used to relieve the symptoms of a skin allergy and reduce the risk of a severe allergic reaction. If this happens and is not handled immediately, it can certainly endanger your life.

Therefore, you are expected to immediately get treatment when you experience mild allergy symptoms, such as rashes and itching. Here are some ways you can treat skin allergies.

Avoid allergens

One of the most appropriate ways before taking medication for skin allergies is to avoid skin allergens.

Look, you may develop signs of an allergy on the skin as soon as the body is directly exposed to the allergen. If you already know the cause, you should avoid it so that symptoms don't return.

For example, if you have an allergy to metals, such as nickel, it means you need to avoid using nickel on their skin. That way, you can focus more on dealing with skin allergies, such as rashes and skin redness.

If you don't know what triggers your allergies, you can do a series of allergy tests. This examination is usually done by giving exposure to various allergens in limited amounts to see the body's reaction.

Steroids

One of the most commonly used drugs to treat skin allergies are steroids or corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are man-made drugs that are made similar to cortisol, which is a hormone the adrenal glands produce naturally.

That way, the cortisol hormone that comes from this steroid will help the body relieve the inflammatory effects of allergies. Therefore, corticosteroids are said to be quite useful in treating allergy symptoms in the skin.

Steroids come in various variants, but one of the most commonly used types to treat skin allergies is corticosteroid ointments or creams. Corticosteroid ointments are well absorbed on thin areas of the skin, such as the face and neck.

Always use drugs in accordance with the rules, both over-the-counter drugs and those prescribed by a doctor. This aims to reduce side effects, such as skin discoloration and irritation.

In addition, long-term use, especially high-dose corticosteroid ointments, can thin the skin and imbalance hormone levels. Some examples of steroid creams that are often used to treat itchy skin are:

Betamethasone,
Hydrocortisone,
Mometasone, and
Desonide.

Antihistamines

When the skin is exposed to allergens, the immune system releases histamine which can cause allergic reactions, such as itchy skin and rashes. Therefore, antihistamines are used to block histamine which causes allergic reactions.

The type of antihistamine that is often used as an allergy medication on the skin is oral. Oral antihistamines can be purchased without a prescription or a doctor's prescription. This allergy medication is used to relieve allergy symptoms, such as hives, swelling, and other symptoms.

Keep in mind that this drug can cause drowsiness and fatigue, so it needs to be taken with caution. However, there are some antihistamines that are less likely to make users sleepy, such as:

Cetirizine,
Desloratadine,
Fexofenadine, and
Loratadine.

Ointment relieves itching on the skin due to allergies

Apart from corticosteroids, there are several other types of itch-relieving ointments that are commonly used as skin allergy medications, namely:

Ointment from calendula flowers

Calendula extract ointment is a topical remedy made from the extract of marigold flowers (Calendula officinalis). This ointment is commonly used to treat itching on the skin due to allergies.

This ointment is believed to have antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties that may be useful in relieving itching during allergies. However, more research is needed to prove whether this ointment really works without dangerous side effects.

Before using calendula cream, it is recommended that you test for allergy skin first by applying a small amount of cream to the skin. This aims to see whether your skin reacts to the ointment or not.

Calendula is generally safe to use. However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind, such as:

allergies to plants, especially in families Asteraceae or Compositae,
pregnant women, and
breastfeeding mothers.

This is because there is no research that actually proves this ointment is safe for this condition.

A combination of menthol and camphor ointment

Menthol is an extract made from mint leaf oil. After being processed into topical drugs, such as ointments, this extract can help relieve itching due to allergies. This skin allergy medication can also help soothe inflamed skin thanks to its cold sensation.

You can only get menthol and camphor ointments by prescription. The reason is, there are other mixed ingredients that may need your doctor's attention.

At first use, try to apply a small amount of ointment to the skin area to test how the skin reacts. The mixture of camphor and menthol can cause a fairly mild burning or chilling sensation.

Use exactly as directed by your doctor or stated on the label. The use of menthol and camphor ointment needs to be reduced as the allergy symptoms on the skin improve.

Biological therapy

If some of the above drugs do not treat the itching or rash on the skin caused by allergies, your doctor may recommend biologic therapy. This therapy uses drugs that target specific reactions in the immune system and try to prevent these reactions.

There are two biological treatments that are often used to treat allergies to the skin, namely dupilumab and omalizumab. Both drugs are usually given as an injection.

The side effects that most often occur after using this medicine are skin redness, itching, and irritation at the injection site.

Dupilumab

Dupilumab is a drug designed to relieve symptoms of eczema by reducing inflammation that occurs in the body. While you are using dupilumab, corticosteroid creams and ointments can still be used.

Reporting from the British Association of Dermatologists, two out of three people who still need to use topical steroids and tablet drugs. This can be done in conjunction with dupilumab consumption.

Omalizumab

Meanwhile, omalizumab is a drug used to relieve symptoms of asthma and itching on the skin due to allergies. These drugs work by blocking the immune system's natural response to allergens that cause asthma attacks and hives.

Omalizumab also helps reduce itching and the amount of itching on your skin. Keep in mind to use these drugs according to doctor's instructions to speed healing and reduce harmful side effects.

If you have questions about medications and treatments for skin allergies, ask your doctor for the right solution. The use of drugs that are not as indicated will actually cause side effects and even worse allergies.