Top Things You Should Know About Having An Allergy Skin Test As An Adult

Allergy skin tests are very common for children, since their parents are trying to figure out if they have allergies of any kind. However, these tests are also done on adults. If you are an adult who might be interested in having an allergy skin test done, these are some of the top things that you will want to know.

You Might Have Allergies You Don't Know About

Sometimes, people experience a change in their allergies as they get older. For example, someone who might have never really suffered from seasonal allergies as a child might notice that they really bother them as an adult. Additionally, some people who have serious allergies as children might find that their allergies have gone away or gotten a lot less severe as they have gotten older. There are also some people who have allergies their entire lives but who do not actually receive a diagnosis until they are adults. Because of this, there are many reasons why adults might want to have skin allergy tests done. You can talk to your doctor about your history with allergies, any allergies that you might have been diagnosed with as a child, and any symptoms that you might suffer from now. Then, they can help you determine if a skin allergy test might be right for you, and they can assist you with referring you to an allergist and/or scheduling your skin allergy test.

The Test Will Probably Be Done On Your Forearm

In many cases, skin allergy tests are done on young children's backs. This is often done because there simply is not enough space on a small child's forearm to perform the number of allergy tests that might be needed. However, with adults, allergy skin tests are often done on the forearm. If you have a preference for the test to be done in one or the other of these places, however, mention it to your doctor. They might be willing to change things up to help you be as comfortable as possible.

You Should Mention Your Medication

If you're on medication, make sure that you tell the doctor or allergist about what you're taking. For one thing, even though allergy skin tests don't typically cause bleeding, this might not be the case if you are on blood thinners. Additionally, you'll want to be sure that your medications don't interact with the test in any way.

For more information, turn to a doctor service such as Allergy and Asthma Care of Blakeney PLLC: Steven McEldowney, MD.


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