[Smart Farmers] World Allergy Day丨How to protect “sensitive you” in the hot summer?

July 8th of every year is World Allergy Day. When it comes to allergic diseases, many people may first think of allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, etc. But in fact, there is much more to know about "allergies".

What are the allergic skin diseases in summer?

The skin is the largest organ of the human body and the most important "first line of defense". The hot, humid and sunny summer brings a vibrant natural scenery, but it can also put a burden on the skin. If you are not careful, some skin problems may "come uninvited", such as photosensitive dermatitis, polymorphic light eruption, eczema, prickly heat, insect bite dermatitis, etc.

What to do if you suffer from solar dermatitis?

In the hot summer, if you don't take good sun protection, ultraviolet rays will accelerate the degree of skin aging. This is because too much ultraviolet radiation will cause melanin to accumulate in the skin, leading to spots, darkening, dark skin, etc., which will directly lead to rapid skin aging. If the situation is more serious, you may suffer from solar dermatitis.

Solar dermatitis, also known as sunburn, is an acute inflammatory reaction of normal skin after exposure to the sun. Solar dermatitis is manifested by erythema, edema, blisters, accompanied by itching and burning pain. In the later stage, pigmentation and desquamation can be seen on the skin.

When we get sunburned, we should immediately use physical cooling. Ice packs and ice water are good choices. The three Chinese medicines, purslane, wild chrysanthemum, and dandelion, also have good therapeutic effects. After sunburn, you can boil the above three medicines in water (10 minutes), refrigerate, and then apply cold compress.

In addition to post-sun treatment, prevention is more important. You must take good sun protection when going out to effectively protect your skin.

Which foods tend to increase photosensitivity?

Photosensitive foods refer to foods that easily cause solar dermatitis, mainly in the following categories:

The first is some vegetables with high chlorophyll content, such as gray vegetables, bitter vegetables, celery, lettuce, rapeseed, spinach, Chinese cabbage, water spinach, radish leaves, mustard greens, snow vegetables, etc.;

The second is fruits, such as figs, citrus, lemons, mangoes, pineapples, etc.;

The third is seafood, such as mud snails, oysters, oysters, river shrimps, shrimps, hairy crabs, river clams, etc.;

Fourth, some cereal foods, such as buckwheat.

How to deal with summer eczema?

Eczema is an allergic inflammatory skin disease. Due to the hot weather in summer, people sweat a lot and the high humidity in the air, acute or subacute eczema is more common in summer, such as intertriginous eczema in the wrinkles of the neck, armpits, elbows, etc. When facing eczema, the following suggestions should be kept in mind:

First, simple anti-allergic treatment can be performed. If the rash area is not too large and there is only mild itching, loratadine tablets or cetirizine tablets can be taken orally, and calamine lotion can be applied externally. For non-facial areas without exudation and erosion, mometasone furoate cream can be directly applied. Avoid scratching and washing with hot water.

Second, do not take medication for facial eczema without authorization. It is not recommended to go to the pharmacy to buy glucocorticoid ointment without a diagnosis by a dermatologist. This is a practice that further damages the skin, because although it is effective in suppressing inflammation, long-term use will produce side effects and endanger health. For topical hormone drugs for the treatment of skin allergies, such as Pi Yan Ping (dexamethasone acetate), halometasone, and Elosone (mometasone furoate), care should be taken not to apply them on the face, because these drugs can cause side effects such as epidermal atrophy and pigmentation. If used for a long time, it can also cause facial hormone-dependent dermatitis, and the treatment cycle will be extended again.

Third, improve allergen testing. Allergic reaction refers to abnormal immune responses such as physiological dysfunction and tissue damage after the body is stimulated by external antigens (such as pollen, dust mites, peanuts, milk, seafood, etc.). Through allergen testing, it can be determined whether the allergic reaction is caused by contact, ingestion, or inhalation allergens, so as to take targeted prevention and treatment.

Fourth, diet and sleep are also very important. Not only should you avoid spicy and stimulating foods, but you should also ensure adequate sleep.

How to deal with mosquito bites?

In summer, we always face the trouble of mosquitoes. After being bitten by mosquitoes, you can use alkaline solutions such as soapy water to relieve the irritation of the acidic venom on the skin, or directly apply glucocorticoid topical medications, such as hydrocortisone butyrate or mometasone furoate cream, once a day, or use the Chinese patent medicine Paris polyphylla detoxification tincture; of course, if you can collect fresh Chinese herbal medicine purslane, it would be better. Mash the purslane and apply it to the insect bite site, and the effect will be immediate.

What should I do if I get prickly heat?

Prickly heat rash, commonly known as heat rash, heat rash, and miliary rash, is a common superficial, inflammatory skin disease in summer or in hot and humid environments. It is mainly manifested by small blisters, papules, papulovesicles, or pustules on the skin, which may cause itching, pain, or burning. After the environment is ventilated and cooled, prickly heat will generally disappear naturally, and calamine lotion can also be applied externally.

Author: Yao Rong, attending physician of the Department of Dermatology, Oriental Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

Scientific review: Yan Yan, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Oriental Hospital

Editor: Xie Yun and Wu Yuetong