Allergic Skin
When the skin sounds the alarm
Allergic skin reactions
Development, causes, symptoms
Redness, itching, blisters - when the skin sounds the alarm, an allergy may be the cause. This is an overreaction of the immune system to substances that are normally harmless to humans. Among the triggers (allergens) are proteins in food, medications or insect venoms. But proteins on pollen or UV rays can also leave unpleasant marks on the skin.
Allergy symptoms of the skin include: Itching, reddened, dry skin areas, wheals and sometimes slight swelling or flaking.
Allergy types
Allergic skin reactions can be very different and are therefore divided into four different categories. The two best known are the immediate and delayed type allergies:
Pollen allergy
Allergic skin reactions caused by pollen from grass, shrubs etc.
It begins with hazel in December and ends with grass in October: The pollen season makes the noses of pollen allergy sufferers run and the eyes water.
Hay fever is one of the most widespread allergies. Pollen allergy belongs to the immediate type, for the symptoms appear within a very short time after contact with the allergens. They not only appear on the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose, The skin of allergy sufferers also reacts to the pollen. The following applies here: The drier the skin - i.e. the more damaged the skin barrier - the more difficult it is for it to fulfil its protective function. Once the pollen has penetrated the skin, the immune system is activated and the skin shows an allergic reaction through itching or redness.
Neurodermatitis sufferers have a greater tendency to such symptoms due to their weakened skin barrier. In addition to neurodermatitis (atopic eczema), hay fever or allergic rhinitis (rhinitis allergica) often occurs in combination with allergic asthma. In medication, this triple constellation is referred to as the "Atopic disorders".
Care tips during pollen season
Medicinal skin care can protect the skin both through preventative care and acute care during the pollen season. The most important objectives: Reduce discomfort and support the damaged skin barrier! A resistant skin barrier offers the best protection against the penetration of pollen and other allergens. It thus effectively reduces the tendency to allergic skin reactions.
- DERMASENCE Vitop forte Eye care – soothes irritated eye areas and provides valuable moisture
- DERMASENCE Polaneth Lotion – immediately relieves itching and other discomforts
- DERMASENCE BarrioPro Barrier-building facial emulsion – regenerates irritated facial skin prone to redness
Itchy skin after sunbathing
Red, itchy skin changes that occur after contact with the sun's rays are often colloquially called a "sun allergy". However, this term is usually inappropriate. In fact, they are usually so-called light dermatoses (also photodermatoses), i.e. skin changes caused by sunlight.
They occur on the so-called skin "sun terraces" (décolleté, shoulders, neck, face, hands).
In contrast to sunburn, where there is excessive contact with UV-B radiation, in cases of photodermatoses it is UV-A radiation that plays the more significant role. Important: UV-A rays are not blocked by window panes. Therefore, symptoms of "sun allergy" can also occur in cars or in rooms with glazing.
Care tips for sunny days
Skin Care products with broadband protection that protect the skin from UV-B and UV-A rays are especially important for people prone to light dermatoses. DERMASENCE SolvineaMed Sun protection gel cream SPF 50+ is ideal for sensitive skin and, due to its oil- and fragrance-free formulation, is also suitable for those with a tendency to "Mallorca acne".
After sunbathing, we recommend the DERMASENCE Aloe Vera Active Gel for cooling and moisturising care. For acute skin changes, the DERMASENCE Seborra Zinc repair foam soothes and calms irritations.
Cosmetic substances as allergy triggers
If unpleasant skin changes such as burning, itching or redness occur after applying cosmetics, an allergic reaction may exist. As a rule, this is a case of a contact allergy (late type IV) whose symptoms sometimes only appear days after the contact. Fragrances (e.g. citronellol or geraniol) and preservatives are the main focus of allergies caused by cosmetics.
In order to make it easier for allergy sufferers to check the constituents of creams, lotions and other cosmetics, every product package provides a list of the substances it contains, the so-called INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Substances ). Please note, however, that the INCI designation may differ from those in allergy passports. It is therefore advisable to discuss this with your doctor or allergist.
Care tips for particularly sensitive skin
Since allergies cannot be cured, the only option for those affected is to avoid the allergy-causing substances. We also recommend the following tips:
- Try new skin care products as rarely as possible. Whenever possible, stick to tried and tested products that you tolerate well.
- Always check the INCI even when repurchasing known products. Most manufacturers occasionally make changes to substances to optimise their skincare products.
- When using a new product, look for a short INCI and/or medicinal skin care product with a high skin tolerance.
- Test new cosmetics on your forearm for a few days first. You can obtain suitable product samples for this purpose from your pharmacy.
Skin tolerance is one of DERMASENCE's most important goals, along with effectiveness. To ensure that people with sensitive skin can also use our skin care products without hesitation, we use purified, highly compatible substances and do not use any fragrances that have to be declared.
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
LinkedIn
TikTok