Skin allergy tests.?

im having a skin allergy test done soon, whats involved in this, does hurt and will it make me bad and if so how long for.





thanx in advance.

Skin allergy tests.?
Right, first of all, if you take antihistamines regularly you should not take them for 48 hours before the test as this will reduce the reactions and hide any allergies.





Secondly, the nurse/doctor will clean the skin and place a drop of pure allergens on to the skin, they mark which allergen it is on the skin and then they use a sharp "needle" to prick the top layer of skin underneath the allergen. This allows the allergen to enter into the prick site. You will then have to wait for a while (at my consultation with an Immunologist it took 10 minutes). They then wipe off the droplets and measure the reaction to each allergen in comparison to the control test they do (just the same thing but it's guaranteed to react). It doesn't really hurt and the skin pricks are over very quickly. They may mark around the reaction site and then use sellotape to transfer the results onto a sheet of paper for your notes.





I've had both forearms done twice. (28 drops on each arm both times). You probably won't have this much, I have severe allergies and go into anaphylaxis so my Immunologist had to do extensive tests to find what was causing it.
Reply:They clean the skin, mark you with a pen to show where they have put the potential allergens, drip the solutions on the skin and then prick you through the drip, then you go and wait for a time, go back and they measure the size of reaction.


I wouldn't think that you would feel bad unless you have a particularly strong adverse reaction
Reply:they just do a little tiny poke on the top of your skin up your arm with the differnt things that you could be alergic to. after that they might use a syringe to put some just under the skin and see how you react to that. all together it takes about hour, but it isn't too bad.
Reply:Using the inside of your arm (or the back if skin is broken/eczema) they will blob tiny amounts of common allergens in a clear fluid, plus a control area. They then give it a very tiny scratch/prick to introduce it into your body. Then after a little time they check and if you have a reaction/hive/little bump they say you are allergic. You can also have a blood test for this.....


It is not painful, but might be a little itchy if you are allergic, but then you just have an antihistamine AFTER you test.
Reply:I had these done many years back, if they haven't changed they really are nothing to worry about. I had some rows of fluid placed on the inside of my lower arm. These contained 'common allergy inducing stuff' (very technical, I know). Then they pressed something onto my arm that just sort of made indents. Not painful at all.
Reply:CG. Its nothing to worry or get stressed about. Heck, you don't even have to study for allergy tests! Depending on the number of allergens they will test for, they will mark off an area of your arm or back. The things they test for are molds and pollens common to your area, common household allergens (like dust mite), and based on your avatar I bet they will test for cat allergy too! After they mark the areas (cause they are going to need a road map) they will make a little prick on the skin. They will be introducing a small amount of allergen. Based on the size of the whep or amount of redness they can determine your level of sensitivity. But, if you have a reaction to something then you are allergic. There is no such thing as "a little allergic" that is like being just "a little pregnant". Either you are or you are not. You should be good to go in an hour or an hour and a half. You should not feel bad as a result of the tests. But, if you have a severe reaction, then the good news is you are right there in the doctor's office and they can handle it better than you could at home. So, relax, don't worry, and know that you are taking an important step in controlling your health and the quality of your life. Good Luck!