What is Insect and Skin Allergy? Allergy (insect) occurs when someone develops severe symptoms to an insect sting. Normal people will have some form of redness or swelling when an insect stings their body, but people who are allergic to insect stings develop anaphylaxis. Cause: It occurs when the immune system overreacts to an allergen. Diagnosis: The doctor may perform a skin test or an allergy blood test to determine the diagnosis. Signs & symptoms: Mild à Sharp burning pain at sting site is experienced, redness and minimal swelling is seen around the sting area Moderate à Extreme redness and swelling that lasts for a few days Severe à Skin reactions like hives, difficulty in breathing, swelling noted at the throat and tongue, nausea, fainting, a weak but rapid pulse Prevention: Avoid getting stung by an insect, take care of sweetened drinks properly, clear away garbage, wear proper clothes and when driving, keep windows rolled up. Skin allergy is when the skin becomes irritated and is caused by a variety of factors such as brushing skin against plants or even an allergic reaction to medication. Examples of skin allergy reactions are eczema, hives, and angioedema. Cause: It is caused when a person comes into direct contact with an allergen which causes the body to trigger an immune system response. Diagnosis: Generally, a visual inspection is required to form a diagnosis. The doctor may ask the person suffering the skin allergy to not consume the food or come into contact with the allergen for four weeks just to confirm the diagnosis. Signs & symptoms: > Itchiness > Redness > Swelling > Depending on the type of skin allergy, it will produce different symptoms. Management: Avoid coming into contact with the allergens if possible. Please feel free to visit any allergy testing clinic in Singapore or nearby you.
