Tips To Help Calm An Allergic Skin Reaction

Suddenly experiencing an allergic reaction can ruin your entire day. If you come into contact with something that sets off a reaction, you will no doubt want to get the situation under control as soon as possible. To that end, here are some few tips that might help you calm your allergic reaction until you can seek medical attention.

Anti-Itch Cream

Let's start with a more simple solution. There are anti-itch/allergy creams available over the counter at your local pharmacy that do not require a prescription from a doctor. If you are going to go this route, look for any cream that has calamine or hydrocortisone in it. (Be sure to read the label first though and make sure the lotion you select does not include ingredients that will cause another reaction.)

Not Just for Breakfast

This next solution doesn't work for everyone but it might be worth a try. Some people have benefited by taking regular oatmeal and placing it on their skin with lukewarm water. Oatmeal has properties that can make it a natural moisturizer and that can help with some allergic reactions. If you don't like the idea of putting a food that you eat for breakfast on your skin, you can try asking your doctor or pharmacist for a colloidal oatmeal cream. This is actually medication, not food, but shares a similar consistency to the oatmeal you eat in the morning.

Take a Shower

If your skin feels like it's on fire, it might help to cool things down. Taking a cold shower could provide some temporary relief. If it's not practical to get into the shower, try and get a cold compress to keep on the affected area. You can create your own cold or at least damp compress by wrapping the area with a wet paper towel or t-shirt if you don't have any better solutions.

Change Your Clothes

If the affected area is located underneath clothing, there's a good chance the rubbing of the fabric against your skin is going to cause further irritation. Try to remove clothing around the affected area if practical. If that won't work, switching to baggy clothes that will give your skin some room to breathe may be able to help you get through the rest of the day.

If you find that you are suffering from an allergic skin reaction more frequently, it might be time to get professional help. Contact a provider of allergy skin test services today for more information.