Tips To Calm An Allergic Skin Reaction

You were just going about your day as normal, when all of a sudden, you noticed a strange itching or burning sensation on your skin. Experiencing an allergic skin reaction is obviously no fun at all and can really put a damper on what otherwise might be a good day. In fact, if your allergic reaction becomes severe enough, it might soon be the only thing your brain is capable of thinking about. If you want to try and calm things down until you can get medical attention, here are some tips that might help.

Be Cool

We mean a couple of different things when we say, "be cool." The first piece of advice is that you can consider using something that will literally cool your skin in order to combat a burning or fiery-feeling allergic reaction. A cool shower, a cold compress, or just some ice cubes rolled in a paper towel could work wonders for providing immediate relief.

But "Be Cool" also means to keep your emotions in check. If you are experiencing an aggravating skin reaction, you might feel a strong urge to scratch or pick at the infected area. But chances are doing so will just make the reaction even worse over time. You might also risk helping the infection to spread as your hands then touch other parts of your body. Press something cold against the affected area, but don't touch it with your bare hands at all.

Get Over the Counter Help

If you need some actual medication to try and fight the problem, there are a number of options available. Various ointments that contain calamine or other anti-inflammatories could help provide quick if temporary relief. Medicinal or "colloidal" oatmeal is another recommended option by most dermatologists. Use these treatment options sparingly at first to ensure they can actually make you feel better and will not further aggravate the area.

Change Your Clothes

While battling a rash or allergic reaction, do your best to wear baggy clothing (or no clothes at all) whenever possible. Anything that rubs against the affected area is going to make life more difficult and certain types of clothing could also make it more difficult to treat the area properly.

Get Professional Help

If you find yourself suffering multiple allergic skin reactions within a short period of time, it might be time for some professional help. A medical professional who offers allergy skin test services may be able to help you get to the root of the problem and prevent future break outs from happening. Contact an allergy professional today for more information.