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A skin allergy is nothing more than an allergic reaction of the skin to various types of allergens. More specifically, it is caused by an immune-induced skin hypersensitivity. As a consequence, the child’s immune system tries to fight these substances and expel them from its body.
Causes of skin allergy in children
A skin allergy can occur for many reasons which vary depending on the type of skin allergy. The most common skin allergies in children are: allergic urticaria, contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis (AD). In the first case, allergy is caused by contact with an allergen, but also by pressure or scratching of the skin, low or high body temperature, as well as excessive sweat, UV radiation, stress, drugs, alcohol, and even contact with water and some food products. In the case of contact dermatitis, the causes may be the child’s contact with the allergen in question: rubber, nickel, chrome, cosmetic ingredients or dyes. In AD, symptoms are caused by protein allergens. This type of allergy begins in infancy (the first months of a baby’s life) and may disappear with time. After the symptoms disappear, the skin remains dry, which makes it prone to irritation. It is worth mentioning that atopic dermatitis can progress to another allergic disease.
- Find out more about allergens
Symptoms of skin allergy in children
Depending on the type of skin allergy in your child, the form of the symptoms may also vary. Allergic urticaria is usually an itchy blister and may be more severe. Its initial form on the skin is a painful and hard lump, which at some point turns into a swelling, standing out against the background of the skin, with a pink or porcelain-white color. In most cases, urticaria disappears very quickly without leaving any traces of it, and therefore it is not treated pharmacologically. Contact dermatitis, in turn, is divided into two phases: during the first phase, chemical compounds enter the epidermis and bind to proteins, resulting in the formation of the so-called dermatitis. complexes; in the next phase, these complexes enter the immune system, causing sensitization to a given allergen. From then on, any contact of the child’s skin with the allergen in question will cause symptoms, i.e. lumpy-vesicular eczema. Along with them, increased temperature and swelling may appear. The symptoms of atopic dermatitis are mostly visible on a child’s face, although it can appear all over the body. The skin is flaky, which causes redness and tightness. The baby’s face then seems to glow. This type of skin allergy can have other symptoms, such as darkening of the skin around the eyes, conjunctivitis, white dandruff, facial erythema, eczema around the nipples and on the feet and hands. In older children, skin lesions appear at the bends of the knees and elbows.
- Also read: Food allergy in children and adults
Allergic skin care in a child
Allergic skin in a child, due to its dryness, is very susceptible to various types of irritation. Its proper care consists mainly in moisturizing and washing the child’s skin with the use of gentle and odorless preparations, which at the same time do not cause allergic symptoms. In moisturizing the skin, large amounts of moisturizing lotions or emollients, i.e. dermocosmetics containing substances that moisturize and moisturize the skin, are used. In summer, the baby’s skin must not be exposed to the sun for too long. To protect the skin, use creams with a UV filter containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Check out the Sylveco cosmetics, intended for the daily care of a child’s delicate skin: cream with vitamin E, olive with betulin, hair shampoo and bath lotion.
The skin of a small allergy sufferer should also avoid contact with irritating materials, the child should wear clothes made of delicate fabrics, e.g. soft cotton. At the same time, it is important to pay attention to your child’s trimmed nails, as any scratching can lead to infections of the skin lesions.
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