The most frequent skin allergies are:

Urticaria

A very frequent allergy, characterized by itchy red bumps and hives on the skin. These are short-lived (a few hours). Urticaria occurs due to the release of histamine and other substances by the skin mastocytes. This release can be due to immunological causes (allergic urticaria) or non-immunological causes (cold, heat, etc.). However, urticaria is mostly of unknown origin (idiopathic urticaria). Sometimes it is associated associated to intestinal parasites. It can be a one-time or regular occurrence and sometimes can become chronic.

Allergic urticaria is produced by a mechanism involving IgE. It accounts for under 3% of all urticaria cases. The main allergens are food and medical drugs. There is a clear association between cause and effect, as urticaria appears as an immediate reaction to physical contact with the allergen. Learn more

Atopic dermatitis

This type of dermatitis appears in about 2% of children under 2 years of age, with severe itching and sensitivity to different allergens. Immunological alterations appear, with increased levels of IgE in the blood, but there is no identified cause-effect relationship. The intense itching leads to scratching and the appearance of secondary lesions. This type of dermatitis has a strong hereditary basis involving familial histories. Learn more

Contact dermatitis

This type of dermatitis is very frequent and arises as a consequence of sensitivity to allergens that make contact through the skin. Red itchy spots appear together with a burning feeling, sometimes with small vessels and skin scaling. The lesions are usually circumscribed to the contact area of the allergen with the skin.

Allergens are substances such as metals (nickel, chrome), cosmetics, perfumes, dyes or gums, that penetrate the skin with ease and induce an immunological response. Learn more