What to apply for food allergies

If food allergy causes skin itching, erythema, and rash without ulceration, it is enough to apply calamine lotion first. If the redness and itching are serious, you can follow the doctor's advice to apply weak glucocorticoid ointments such as Desonide. If you have scratched and ulcerated, you should first apply anti-infective ointment such as mupirocin. Most folk remedies such as aloe vera gel and peppermint ointment are not recommended.

I usually help my friends deal with a lot of food allergies. Not long ago, my sister's 6-year-old baby secretly took two bites of a cookie with peanuts. Within ten minutes, a dense red rash appeared on his chin and back of his hands. The baby scratched and started crying. My sister first wiped off the food residue on her skin with a cold wet towel, and applied a thin layer of calamine, which was like covering the hot skin with a cold protective film. Within half an hour, the baby said it was no longer itchy, and the rash was basically gone the next day.

Some people have asked me before if I can apply aloe vera gel or grass ointment, but I usually just tell them otherwise. When my skin is allergic, the barrier is broken, and these skin care products with a lot of additives are likely to cause secondary sensitization. I once met a friend who was allergic to mango, and I applied aloe vera gel for three days.

Speaking of this, some people must have murmured: Will the hormone ointment have any side effects? In fact, there has always been a lot of controversy about topical hormones. Some people think that "it's hormones, so you can't touch them." A friend of mine who works as a nurse in the dermatology department said that she encounters several patients every week who insist on not applying medicine for allergies. Many of them are scratching their heads and say they are afraid of dependence on hormones. In fact, weak glucocorticoid ointments such as desonide and hydrocortisone cream are available. For short-term use of 3 to 5 days, apply a thin layer on the rash every day. The skin absorption rate is very low. Basically, there will be no dependence or large-scale pigmentation problems that everyone is worried about. On the contrary, the probability of ulceration and infection caused by repeated scratching is much higher, and the probability of leaving scars and marks is much higher. If you are really very resistant to hormones, you can also seek evaluation from a doctor and try topical antihistamine ointments. However, some people may experience a local stinging sensation when applying this type of ointment, and the effects are relatively slow, so they are not suitable for everyone.

There is another key point that must be mentioned: not all food allergies can be solved with medication. If after eating something you are allergic to, you not only develop a rash, but also feel a tight throat, breathlessness, dizziness, and nausea. This is a precursor to a serious allergic reaction. Do not apply any ointments and call 120 immediately. In this case, topical products cannot withstand it at all, and systemic administration is needed to save lives.

Oh, by the way, it is best to wipe the allergic area clean with warm water before applying the medicine. Do not use irritating cleaning products such as soap and shower gel, otherwise it will be like spreading salt on the injured skin, which will aggravate the discomfort. After all, applying medicine is a first-aid solution. If you really want to avoid suffering, you still have to remember your allergens and avoid eating things you shouldn't eat.