MenuNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosQuestions&AnswersMedicationsFindanAllergistOverview&FactsSymptoms&TypesDiagnosis&TestsTreatment&CareAllergiesorCold?AllergyMapAllergyReliefAdvisorChildren'sAllergiesEyeAllergiesCold&FluMapSkinAllergiesFoodAllergiesAsthmaDrugInteractionCheckerSevereAllergiesMoreRelatedTopicsAllergiesA-ZAllergiesReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyStephanieS.Gardner, MDonJune02,2020InthisArticleTypesofSkinAllergiesWhatCausesaSkinAllergy?HowCanIPreventaSkinAllergy?HowDoITreatIt?Mostofushavebumpy,itchy,scaly,orredskinatsomepointinourlives.Oneofthemostcommonculprits?Askinallergy.That’swhenyouencountersomethingyourbodythinksisdangerous,calledanallergen.Yourimmunesystemoverreacts,andreleasesantibodiestofightoffthese“invaders.”Thatfighttriggerssymptomslikearashorswelling.TypesofSkinAllergiesTheycomeindifferentforms.Herearethemostcommonkinds:Contactdermatitis.Ifyou’veevergottenarashafterwearinganewringorusingadifferentsoap,you’veprobablyhadthiscondition.Yourskintouchesanallergen,likenickelorachemicalinasoap,lotion,orsunscreen.Particlesintheair,suchaspollen,canalsotriggerdermatitiswhentheylandontheskin.Yourdoctormaycallthis“airbornecontactdermatitis.” Insomecases,you’llhaveareactiononlyafteryou’vebeeninthesun.Thisissometimescalled“photoallergiccontactdermatitis.”It’sbroughtonbysomechemicals,suchasthoseinsunscreens,shavinglotion,andperfumes.Symptomsrangefrommildtosevere.Theyinclude:RednessSwellingCrackingBurningBlistersBumpsScalypatchesRashesYouusuallydon’tgetareactionrightaway.Itcantakeanywherefromafewhoursto10days.Typically,ittakesfrom12hoursto3days.Evenwithtreatment,symptomscanlast2to4weeks.Learnmoreaboutcontactdermatitiscauses,symptoms,andtreatments.Hives.Theseareraised,itchyredweltsorbumps.Contactdermatitiscantriggerthem,butallergicreactionstoinsectbites,medications,andfoodscanalsobringonareaction.Hivestendtoappearrightaway,andtheyfadewithinafewhoursordays.Readmoreonwhatyouneedtoknowabouthives.Eczema.Youmayhearthiscalled“atopicdermatitis.”It’sachronical