How to find the source of allergies? Two ways to find the real culprit of allergies

Clinically, many skin diseases are more or less related to allergens, and patients with allergic symptoms can relieve allergic symptoms by simply treating the allergens. However, there are some cases where the allergens cannot be found, so how can we find the allergens? The following two methods are very effective.

Prick test for allergens

The prick test can be regarded as a special intradermal test, and is currently the most popular method for in vivo detection of allergens in the world, especially in Europe and the United States. Because the amount of liquid pricked on the skin is only one ten-thousandth of that of the intradermal test, it is safe, sensitive and accurate. It causes little skin damage, is painless to the patient, and is just like being bitten by a mosquito, it has gradually replaced the traditional intradermal test.

principle:

When a certain allergen enters the skin, patients with rapid-onset allergic reactions to certain substances will immediately and specifically cause mast cells in the skin to degranulate, releasing active substances such as histamine, leading to local capillary dilation (erythema) and increased capillary permeability (edema, wheals). A positive test indicates allergy to the antigen.

How to do it:

First, drop the prick test solution on the skin, then use the puncture needle to pass through the drop and gently pierce the skin.

Patch test

The patch test has been used for a hundred years, and its reliability in diagnosing contact dermatitis and certain allergic skin diseases has been fully demonstrated, which has promoted the development of contact dermatitis and skin allergy testing. Our hospital uses European standardized test reagents for accurate testing.

principle:

The suspected allergen is applied to the patient's skin. After entering the body through the skin or mucous membranes, antigen-presenting cells present the antigen to T lymphocytes, activating specific T lymphocytes and inducing an inflammatory response.

Adaptation symptoms:

1. Contact dermatitis, eczema, occupational dermatitis and other skin diseases caused by allergic reactions caused by contact with certain substances.

2. When the cause is unknown or there is contact with several substances and it is necessary to find the cause, a patch test can be done.

Specific methods:

After applying the test agent to the skin for a period of time, the skin's reaction to the contact object is used to determine whether the patient is allergic to the substance.