Suggest Treatment For Allergic Reaction Of Skin To Wood, Metal And Hair

Posted on Sun, 31 May 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 31 May 2015 Answered on

Fri, 19 Jun 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : Hello, I wanted to ask about my skin seeming to be allergic to many different things...wood, metal, even my own hair (if I lay my chin on my arm, the whiskers will cause a reaction). A typical reaction is basically just like a rash, slightly larger than the contacted spot on the skin (usually arms), that is very itchy and may take anywhere from a couple of hours to a day or so to heal back to normal. Occasionally I also spawn random red, itchy spots on my head. Not huge, maybe a quarter or half inch spot.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rahul Kumar (42 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Acute urticaria

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for the query,
You might have developed acute urticaria.
It is an allergic condition.
Anything including food, cloth, change in climate, pollens etc can cause urticaria.
It is said the anything under the sun including the sun can cause urticaria.
You mentioned that you have allergy to various metals.
It is very much possible.
Treatment can be with oral anti histamines.
I treat such cases with a sedative antihistamine like benadryl in night and a non sedating amtihistamine like fexofenadine in morning.
This gives excellent response in a week.
Steroids like prednisolone are also helpful but cannot be used for long.
If possible please upload a photograph of the involved area if rash I'd present.
This will help me in giving a closer diagnosis.
Let me know if you have any other doubt.
Wishing you a good health.
Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rahul Kumar (8 hours later)

The lines are from pressing a scotch tape tear strip against the arm, I didn't even press hard...I also leaned my chin on my arm, the facial hair did the rest.
the second picture shows how everything kind of puffed up. It was briefly itchy, I scratched now it just seems irritated, not as itchy. I did this little experiment about ten minutes ago.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rahul Kumar (19 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Try antihistamines

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for the photographs.
It's definitely urticaria.
There is no permanent cure for this but antihistamines work well .
You can try this.
Let me know if you have any other doubts.
Thank you.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T