Assignment Of Zoology Skin Allergies

Submitted By: wajeeha Mehmood Class: Bs II Major: Zoology Course Title: Form And Function (I) Course Code: BSZ-05 Session: 2009-2013

Skin Allergies

Table of Contents:
Skin Allergy: ......................................................................................................................... 2 Types of skin allergies: .................................................................................................................. 2 Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema): .......................................................................................................... 2 Causes of Eczema: .............................................................................................................. 3 Symptoms and signs of Eczema: ................................................................................................. 3 Treatment for Eczema: ............................................................................................................... 4 Urticaria (Hives): ................................................................................................................... 5 Causes of Hives: .......................................................................................................................... 6 Treatment for Hives: ................................................................................................................... 7 Angioedema (Swelling): ........................................................................................................ 7 Causes of Angioedema: ............................................................................................................... 8 Treatment of Angioedema: ......................................................................................................... 8 Pruritus: ............................................................................................................................... 9 Causes of Pruritus: ...................................................................................................................... 9 Treatment of Pruritus: ............................................................................................................... 9 Contact Dermatitis: ............................................................................................................ 10 Contact Dermatitis Triggered by Cosmetics: ............................................................................. 10 Symptoms of a Cosmetic Allergy: ............................................................................................. 10 Causes of Cosmetic Allergies ..................................................................................................... 11 Diagnosis of Cosmetic Allergies: ............................................................................................... 12 Treatment of Cosmetic Allergies: ............................................................................................. 12 Prevention from Cosmetic Allergies: ........................................................................................ 12

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Skin Allergies

Skin Allergy:
An allergy is a hypersensitivity to substances in the environment and

an abnormal reaction of the body to a previously encounteredallergen introduced by inh alation, ingestion, injection, or skin contact, often manifested by itchy eyes, runny nose, wheezing, skin rash, or diarrhea.

Types of skin allergies:

There are many types of itchy skin allergies and rashes. However, not all rashes that itch are related to skin allergies. The following are the most common types of allergic skin rashes: 1. Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) 2. Urticaria (Hives) 3. Angioedema 4. Pruritus 5. Contact Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema):

Eczema is a general term for many types of skin inflammation (dermatitis). The most common form of eczema is atopic dermatitis (sometimes these two terms are used interchangeably). However, there are many different forms of eczema. Eczema can affect people of any age, although the condition is most common in infants, and about 85% of those affected have an onset prior to 5 years of age. Eczema will permanently resolve by age 3 in about half of affected infants. In others, the condition tends to recur throughout life. People with eczema often have a family history of the condition or a family history of other allergic conditions, such as asthma or hay fever. The nature of the link between these conditions is inadequately understood. Up to 20% of children and 1%-2% of adults are believed to have eczema. Eczema is slightly more common in girls than in boys. It occurs in people of all races. Eczema is not contagious, but since it is believed to be at least partially inherited, it is not uncommon to find members of the same family affected.
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Skin Allergies

Causes of Eczema: Doctors do not know the exact cause of eczema, but a defect of the skin that impairs its function as a barrier, possibly combined with an abnormal function of the immune system, and is believed to be important factors. Studies have shown that in people with atopic dermatitis there are gene defects that lead to abnormalities in certain proteins (such as filaggrin) that are important in maintaining the barrier of normal skin. Some forms of eczema can be triggered by substances that come in contact with the skin, such as soaps, cosmetics, clothing, detergents, jewelry, or sweat. Environmental allergens (substances that cause allergic reactions) may also cause outbreaks of eczema. Changes in temperature or humidity, or even psychological stress, can lead to outbreaks of eczema in some people. Symptoms and signs of Eczema: The rash is red, often flakes or oozes, and has small blisters or bumps. There are often excoriations, or areas of broken skin, from aggress. Eczema most commonly causes dry, reddened skin that itches or burns, although the appearance of eczema varies from person to person and varies according to the specific type of eczema. Intense itching is generally the first symptom in most people with eczema. Sometimes, eczema may lead to blisters and oozing lesions, but eczema can also result in dry and scaly skin. Repeated scratching may lead to thickened, crusty skin.

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Skin Allergies While any region of the body may be affected by eczema, in children and adults, eczema typically occurs on the face, neck, and the insides of the elbows, knees, and ankles. In infants, eczema typically occurs on the forehead, cheeks, forearms, legs, scalp, and neck. Eczema can sometimes occur as a brief reaction that only leads to symptoms for a few hours or days, but in other cases, the symptoms persist over a longer time and are referred to as chronic dermatitis. Treatment for Eczema: The goals for the treatment of eczema are to prevent itching, inflammation, and worsening of the condition. Treatment of eczema may involve both lifestyle changes and the use of medications. Treatment is always based upon an individual's age, overall health status, and the type and severity of the condition. Keeping the skin well hydrated through the application of creams or ointments (with a low water and high oil content) as well as avoiding over-bathing is an important step in treatment. It is recommended to apply emollient creams such as petrolatumbased creams to the body immediately after a five-minute lukewarm bath in order to seal in moisture while the body is still wet. Lifestyle modifications to avoid triggers for the condition are also recommended. Corticosteroid creams are sometimes prescribed to decrease the inflammatory reaction in the skin. These may be mild-, medium-, or high-potency corticosteroid

Urticaria (Hives):
Hives (medically known as Urticaria) appear on the skin as wheals which are red, very itchy, smoothly elevated areas of skin often with a blanched center. They appear in
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Skin Allergies varying shapes and sizes, from a few millimeters to several inches in diameter anywhere on the body. It is estimated that 20% of all people will develop Urticaria at some point in their lives. Hives are more common in women than in men. One hallmark of hives is their tendency to change size rapidly and to move around, disappearing in one place and reappearing in other places, often in a matter of hours. Individual hives usually last no longer than 24 hours. An outbreak that looks impressive, even alarming, first thing in the morning can be completely gone by noon, only to be back in full force later in the day. Very few, if any other skin diseases occur and then resolve so rapidly. Therefore, even if you have no evidence of hives to show the doctor when you get to the office for examination, he or she can often establish the diagnosis based upon the history of your symptoms. Because hives fluctuate so much and so fast, it is helpful to bring along a photograph of what the outbreak looked like at its worst. Swelling deeper in the skin that may accompany hives is called angioedema. This swelling may be seen on the hands and feet, as well as the lips or eyes that can be as dramatic as it is brief.

Causes of Hives: Hives are produced when histamine and other compounds are released from cells called mast cells, which are normally found in the skin. Histamine causes fluid to leak from the local blood vessels, leading to swelling in the skin.
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Skin Allergies Hives are very common. Although they can be annoying, they usually resolve on their own over a period of weeks and are rarely medically serious. Some hives are caused by allergies to such things as foods, medications, and insect stings, but in the majority of cases, no specific cause for them is ever found. Although patients may find it frustrating not to know what has caused their hives, maneuvers like changing diet, soap, detergent, and makeup are hardly ever helpful in preventing hives and are not necessary for the most part. Having hives may cause stress, but stress by itself does not cause hives. In rare cases (some hereditary, others caused by bee stings or drug allergy), Urticaria and angioedema are accompanied by a striking decrease in blood pressure (shock) and difficulty breathing. This is called anaphylaxis. Ordinary hives may be widespread and disturbing to look at, but the vast majority of cases of hives do not lead to lifethreatening complications. Types of hives: There are several different types of hives including:

Acute Urticaria: Hives or swelling lasting less than six weeks. The most common causes are foods, medicines, latex, or infections. Insect bites and internal disease may also be responsible. The most common foods that cause hives are nuts, chocolate, fish, tomatoes, eggs, fresh berries, soy, wheat, and milk. Fresh foods cause hives more often than cooked foods. Certain food additives and preservatives may also be to blame. Medicines that can cause hives and angioedema include aspirin and other non-steroidal inflammatory medications (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen), pressure medications (ACE inhibitors), or painkillers such as codeine.

Chronic Urticaria: Hives or swelling lasting more than six weeks. The cause of this type of hives is usually more difficult to identify than those causing acute Urticaria and/or angioedema. The causes can be similar to those of acute Urticaria but can also include autoimmunity, chronic infections, hormonal disorders, and malignancy.

Physical Urticaria: Hives caused by direct physical stimulation of the skin -- for example, cold, heat, sun exposure, vibration, pressure, sweating, and exercise. The

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Skin Allergies hives usually occur right where the skin was stimulated and rarely appear anywhere else. Most of the hives appear within one hour after exposure.

Dermatographism: Hives that form after firmly stroking or scratching the skin. These hives can also occur along with other forms of Urticaria.

Treatment for Hives: The goal of treating most cases of ordinary Urticaria is to relieve symptoms while the condition goes away by itself. The most commonly used oral treatments are antihistamines, which help oppose the effects of the histamine leaked by mast cells. The main side effect of antihistamines is drowsiness. Many antihistamines are available without prescription,

Angioedema (Swelling):
Angioedema is similar to hives, but the swelling occurs beneath the skin instead of on the surface. Angioedema is characterized by deep swelling around the eyes and lips and sometimes of the genitals, hands, and feet. It generally lasts longer than hives, but the swelling usually goes away in less than 24 hours. Occasionally, severe, prolonged tissue swelling can be disfiguring. Rarely, angioedema of the throat, tongue, or lungs can block the airways, causing difficulty breathing. This may become life threatening. Hereditary angioedema is painful swelling of tissue. It is passed on through families.

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Skin Allergies

Causes of Angioedema: Angioedema forms when, in response to histamine, blood plasma leaks out of small blood vessels in the skin. Histamine is a chemical released from specialized cells along the skin's blood vessels. Allergic reactions, chemicals in foods, insect stings, sunlight exposure, or medicines can all cause histamine release. Sometimes it's impossible to find out exactly why hives have formed. Treatment of Angioedema: If your symptoms are mild, you may not need treatment. Many cases of hives and angioedema clear up on their own. But treatment can offer relief for intense itching, serious discomfort or symptoms that persist. The standard treatment for hives and angioedema is antihistamines, medications that reduce itching, swelling and other symptoms of histamine release. For severe hives or angioedema, doctors may also sometimes prescribe an oral corticosteroid drug such as prednisone which can help lessen swelling, redness and itching.

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Skin Allergies Pruritus: It is a relatively common problem for people to have itching without a rash being present. The medical term for itching is Pruritus, and these symptoms can represent a skin problem, or even an internal disease within the body. When the itching is limited to a certain area of the body, the most likely reason is a disease process limited to the skin. The area of the body that itches often gives a big clue as to the cause of the itching. Causes of Pruritus: Pruritus involves the entire body may still represent a disease of the skin, or may be caused by metabolic problems such as thyroid disease or iron deficiency. Many medications can cause itching, particularly pain medications like codeine and morphine.

Treatment of Pruritus: The best treatment of Pruritus is to fix the underlying cause of the itching, as well as treatment of the specific skin condition. Non-specific treatments for Pruritus, such as topical steroid creams and oral antihistamines, as well as good skin care and moisturizing, can provide much relief for people with generalized Pruritus.

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Skin Allergies

Contact Dermatitis: Contact dermatitis is caused from skin contact with a substance that causes a rash-like reaction. People react to a variety of chemicals, including cosmetics, hair dye, metals, topical medications and dental materials. An example of a contact dermatitis is a rash from poison ivy, which is an extremely itchy and appears as blisters that ooze and crust after contact with plants of the Toxicodendron family. A contact dermatitis rash may look like atopic dermatitis, but the rash is typically located only in the area of contact with the offending chemical. Common locations include the face, especially the eyelids, neck, hands and feet. Contact dermatitis to metals, such as in jewelry or snaps/buttons/zippers on clothing, commonly occurs on the neck, wrists/hands, earlobes and at the waistline.

Contact Dermatitis Triggered by Cosmetics: Products such as moisturizers, shampoos, deodorants, make-up, colognes, and other cosmetics have become part of our daily grooming habits. The average adult uses at least seven different cosmetic products each day. Although cosmetics can help us feel more beautiful, they can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. Certain ingredients used in cosmetics, such as fragrances and preservatives, can act as allergens, substances that trigger an allergic. Symptoms of a Cosmetic Allergy: There are two allergic reactions that might occur following exposure to cosmetics: irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. Irritant contact dermatitis: This is more common than allergic contact dermatitis and can occur in anyone. It develops when an irritating or harsh substance actually damages the skin. Irritant contact dermatitis usually begins as patches of itchy, scaly skin or a red rash, but can develop into blisters that ooze, especially if the skin is further irritated from scratching. It generally occurs at the site of contact with the
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Skin Allergies irritating substance. Areas where the outermost layer of skin is thin, such as the eyelids, or where the skin is dry and cracked are more susceptible to irritant contact dermatitis.

Allergic contact dermatitis: This occurs in people who are allergic to a specific ingredient or ingredients in a product. Symptoms include redness, swelling, itching, and hive-like breakouts. In some cases, the skin becomes red and raw. The face, lips, eyes, ears, and neck are the most common sites for cosmetic allergies, although reactions may appear anywhere on the body.

The time it takes for symptoms of irritant contact dermatitis to appear varies. For stronger irritants, such as perfumes, a reaction may occur within minutes or hours of exposure. However, it may take days or weeks of continued exposure to a weaker irritant, such as soap, before symptoms appear. In some cases, a person can develop an allergic sensitivity to a product after years of use. Causes of Cosmetic Allergies: With irritant contact dermatitis, the skin breaks down when it comes into contact with harsh substances, most often chemicals that directly injure the outer layer of the skin, resulting in symptoms of a cosmetic allergy. Allergic contact dermatitis occurs because
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Skin Allergies the body's immune system is reacting against a specific substance (the allergen) that it considers foreign and harmful. Reactions to cosmetics occur more often in women, most likely because women tend to use more cosmetic products than do men. Diagnosis of Cosmetic Allergies: Allergies are diagnosed by the appearance of symptoms and your history of exposure to various cosmetic products. Because most adults use many cosmetic products, identifying the product responsible for the reaction may be difficult. If your doctor suspects allergic contact dermatitis, he or she may use a patch skin test to identify the substances to which you are allergic. Treatment of Cosmetic Allergies: Cosmetic allergy treatment generally involves avoiding the products causing the symptoms. Over-the-counter creams and ointments that contain cortisone, such as hydrocortisone (Cortisone 10) and hydrocortisone acetate (Cort-aid), may be used to help control itching, swelling, and redness. Check with a doctor before considering using cortisone on your face. Topical steroids can sometimes lead to facial skin discoloration. Prevention from Cosmetic Allergies: There are several steps we can take to try and avoid cosmetic allergies, including:

Read the list of ingredients on all cosmetic products. If you find an ingredient that has caused a reaction in the past, don't use that product.

When considering a new product, do a "mini-patch test" first to see if it causes a reaction. Put a sample of the product on your inner wrist or elbow and wait 24 hours to see if a reaction occurs.

Keep it simple. Choose products with simple formulas. More ingredients mean more potential allergens. With fewer ingredients, it's also easier to pinpoint the source if you do have a reaction.

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Skin Allergies

Apply perfume to your clothes rather than your skin, and allow the perfume to dry before putting on the clothes.

Be especially careful with makeup because it stays in contact with the skin for a long time. Look for products that are hypoallergenic, fragrance free, and non-comedogenic, although products with these labels may still cause reactions.

Be careful about the expiry dates of cosmetics. Expired products may harm skin dangerously.

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Skin Allergies

References:
1. Atopic Dermatitis Practice Parameters. Ann Allergy Asthma Immune. 2004; 93:S121. 2. Practice Parameters for Disease Management: Acute and Chronic Urticaria and Angioedema. Ann Allergy. 2000; 85: S525-44. 3. Beltrani VS, Bernstein IL, Cohen DE, and Fonacier L. Contact Dermatitis: A Practice Parameter. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunology. 2006; 97:S1-38. 4. Bolognia, Jean L., Joseph L. Jorizzo, and Ronald P. Rapini.Dermatology. 2nd ed. Spain: Mosby, 2008. 5. Frigas, Evangelo, and Miguel A. Park."Acute Urticaria and Angioedema." Am J ClinDermatol 10.4 (2009): 239-250. 6. Kaplan, A.P., and M. Greaves."Pathogenesis of Chronic Urticaria." Clinical & Experimental Allergy 39 (2009): 777-787.

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