Contraindications
Even though skin testing may sound like a benign procedure it does have some risks which include swollen red bumps (hives) may occur after the test. The hives usually disappear in a few hours after the test. In rare cases they can persist for a day or two. These hives may be itchy and are best treated by applying an over the counter hydrocortisone cream. In very rare cases one may develop a full blown allergic reaction. Physicians who perform skin test always have equipment and medications available in case an anaphylaxis reaction occurs. This is the main reason why consumers should not get skin testing performed at corner stores or by people who have no medical training.
Skin testing can be done on individuals of all ages. However, there are times when a skin test should not be done. Individuals who take medications for depression, gastric acidity or antihistamines should not undergo this test. In such cases, stopping the medications for a skin test may not be worthwhile as one may develop symptoms from the untreated medical disorders. Individuals who have severe, generalized skin disease or an acute skin infection should not undergo skin testing. One needs uninvolved skin for testing.
There are some individuals who are highly sensitive to even the smallest amount of allergen and in such scenarios, allergic testing is not recommended. Whenever the chances of an anaphylactic shock are high, the test is best avoided.
Besides skin tests, there are blood tests which measure a specific antibody in the blood. The IgE antibody plays a vital role in allergies but its levels in blood do not always correlate with the allergic reaction.
There are many alternative health care practitioners who perform a variety of provocation neutralization tests, but the vast majority of these tests have no validity and have never been proven to work scientifically.
Read more about this topic: Skin Allergy Test