How to Manage Skin Allergies this Monsoon Season?

Barsaat ka masuam and skin allergies!

All the while when we want to flaunt our skin being fearless of the hooded sun and breezy hawa, somehow a rash or hive or dry patches come marching on our skin.

Don’t get me wrong, we absolutely love the monsoon. The pleasant weather and lush green plants, it all is a very refreshing sight after the midsummer heat. However, on the other end, there come unhygienic conditions, humid after-effects, and runny drains.

One of the earliest signs of any ailment of health appears on our skin. Due to unhygienic conditions, our skin is the first border of defense to react.

Since your writer here happened to be one of its first victims in her 20 years, here is what she has concluded from all of her experience and research.

Skin Allergies That You Need to Be Cautious About

Some of the most common skin infections and allergies in Pakistan can be, skin eczema, scabies, acne, dermatitis, heat rash, warts, pimples, and itchy skin.

In this article, we are going to discuss skin allergies, skin allergy causes, skin allergy types, and their treatments 

Skin Allergy Types

Eczema

Eczema is one of the most common forms of skin allergies that are caused mainly due to inflammation and dermatitis. Eczema in the simpler definition is an extremely dry skin. Eczema is most common in winters and humid weather due to extreme moisture loss through the skin. 

Mostly eczema affects young children, yet due to extreme moisture loss, there can be rough round patches of dryness on your skin. This may trigger their other allergies. 

I personally went through this condition where I had to work in an outfield area in heat. The extreme weather and excessive sweating would often leave big white extremely dry and rough. Though the patch was not itchy or oozing, the skin would stretch and be hard and feel hard on the skin.

Some Common Eczema Symptoms

Eczema usually involves dry, inflamed, and red patchy skin with usually scaly patches with a crusty texture. Usually, the skin appears as if there is a big white dry patch with a rough area around the edges. The skin areas are usually oozing and swelling.

How Can Eczema Be Prevented?

Eczema can be prevented in several ways. Here are some ways that eczema can be prevented through some precautionary measures.

1. Avoid dirty water or allergy-triggering allergens such as pollens, animal fur, dust, and dirt.
2. Keeping your skin dry, especially if you sweat a lot. Keep loose powder with you so that makes your skin dry.
3. If you live in a fully humid area, you need to keep your skincare regime updated according to your sweating experience.
4. Wear gloves while working, cleaning, and dusting your home, and office space.

Eczema Skin Allergy Treatment

If you observe big skin patches with white patches, immediately seek help from your dermatologist. A dermatologist will usually recommend a topical corticosteroid, creams and ointments, antihistamines, repair moisturizers, and ceramides.  

Scabies

One of the worst skin allergies during the monsoon season is without a doubt scabies. Scabies occurs when you come in contact with contagious water that often happens with sewage water and polluted rains. Scabies is an infestation of the skin by a human mite known as (Sarcoptes scabiei). The mites bite into the upper layer of the skin and lay their eggs which triggers intense itching. As a result, your skin turns into a pimple rash.

One of the worst things about scabies is that it is spread through direct skin-to-skin contact with a person with scabies.

Some Common Scabies Symptoms

Please Note: If someone has never had scabies before, it will take up to 4 – 8 weeks for the symptoms to develop. Please know that scabies can develop during this time a person who comes in contact with the person who is infested. 

How Scabies Can be Prevented?

Scabies can be prevented only through prescribed products. It cannot be prevented through products from over-the-counter or self-diagnosed products.

Some other preventive measures to be taken can be

1. Avoid any form of contact with the person with scabies.
2. Avoid any contact with contaminated or polluted water.
3. Avoid itching as much as you can in order to avoid rashes on the skin.

Athlete’s Foot

More often people develop athlete’s foot problems in monsoon in which they might experience itching of the feet, and cracked or discolored nails. Usually due to the humid weather people have to walk through puddles and swamps of water that lead to the development of athlete’s foot or fungal infection.

Some Common Athlete’s Foot Symptoms

Prof. Dr. Faria Asad who is one of the best dermatologists in Pakistan says that usually, the person who has an athlete’s foot problem will experience a scaly red rash. You will also experience stinging with your toes, blisters, discolored crumbled toenails, peeling of your skin, and blisters on your foot skin.

How Athlete’s Feet Can be Prevented?

There are several ways you can do to prevent athlete’s foot infections:

1. Wash your feet regularly and keep them dry, especially between your fingers.
2. Use antifungal powder on your feet every day to avoid any wetness or humidity on your fingers.
3. Wear sandals all the time and do not take them off even when in the pool or beach.
4. Wear socks that are made of breathable fabrics.
5. Whenever your feet get sweaty immediately change your socks.

Ringworm

Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin and is also commonly known as dermatophyte. The name ringworm comes from the shape of a worm in the form of a ring and hence why this particular skin allergy is given its name. Experts at Avicenna Hospital say that ringworm can appear in both animals and humans. It initially appears as blotchy red patches and then later spread throughout the skin.

Some Common Ringworm Symptoms

Symptoms can vary from person to person when you are infected with ringworm however some common symptoms can look like this;

• Red scaly ring-like patches.
• Raised skin in the form of plaques.
• Blister lookalike patches.

How Ringworm Skin Allergy Can Be Prevented?

In order to treat ringworm, your doctor may prescribe you both prescriptions and lifestyle changes. In addition to certain medications, your dermatologist can prescribe you to care for your infection at home through:

1. Washing your bedding and clothing regularly and disinfecting your surroundings.
2. Drying your areas thoroughly after bathing’
3. Wearing loose breathable fabric.
4. Treating all the infected areas thoroughly and not being careful about it leads to a recurrence of the ringworm.

Precautions for Monsoon Skin Allergies

1. Washing your hands and feet regularly with a good soap.
2. Keeping yourself dry at all times.
3. Not sharing your personal belongings with anyone, especially clothes.
4. Using dermatologically tested or approved products.
5. Wear breathable fabrics. 

Wrapping It All Up!

Skin allergies can be a big cry for help if you treat them wisely. In case you suspect any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you should immediately consult with one of our top certified dermatologists through Healthwire.pk. 

Let us know if you have any skin allergy stories to share!