Beatrix Williams
As someone who has severe food allergies to dairy, peanuts, and treenuts and has experienced seasonal allergies from a young age, I have regularly had to participate in allergy skin testing. Allergy skin testing is typically done by an allergist. Types of allergy skin testing includes skin prick tests, intradermal tests, and patch tests. As someone who has only had experience with skin prick tests, I will be mainly focusing on how to approach this type of test, however, some of the procedures may be the same for and patch tests.
Firstly, you must schedule your skin testing appointment in advance as spots typically fill up quickly and a specific amount of staff members must be on hand to help you and assist the allergist during the process. Additionally, it is important to confirm your appointment a little over a week in advance as patients who are having the allergy skin test done typically have to stop taking seasonal allergy medication and any other antihistamines. It is also helpful to prepare to have someone with you while you do your testing and to drive you home as typically after the testing patients feel drowsy from their allergens and reactions.
Although the process seems very intimidating, people wanting to participate in allergy skin testing should know that it is extremely helpful for identifying changing allergies and discovering new allergies. I also enjoy watching a TV show or movie while I am being injected and waiting for the test to be over, as this usually relaxes me when I am stressed. My allergist allows me to watch things on my phone that I have downloaded and I’m sure if you ask, your allergist will allow you to as well!
There are multiple places where allergy skin prick testing can be done. Throughout most of my life, I have had the testing done on my back since I have a variety of allergies. The way that my testing has been done in recent years is by my allergist placing columns of different pricks which contain different types of allergens such as seasonal allergens or different nut varieties in certain columns. The column process allows the placement of allergen pricks to be a faster process and for the patient to feel less pain when they are pricked. Personally, I have not experienced much pain in the pricking process of allergy skin testing, I usually just feel a few light pinches. Before a patient is pricked, their skin must be cleaned with alcohol wipes and marked by which allergen each area represents. Once a patient is pricked, there is a waiting period of at least 15 minutes for the allergens to react or not react on a patient's skin. Once the waiting period is over, allergists or nurses will measure the size of reaction wheels with a ruler. Allergists are able to distinguish the size of one’s reactions through the positive and negative controls which are injected into a patient’s skin along with the allergens.
After wheels are measured, allergists will clean a patient’s skin with warm water and soap to eliminate further inflammation of the area. At my allergist, hydrocortisone cream, Zyrtec, and prednisone are also provided to calm down inflammation. Once the testing is over, allergists will typically discuss the results with their patients and determine if the severity of allergies has decreased, increased, or if new allergies have been discovered. An allergist may also schedule a blood drawing appointment to further determine if the severity of an allergen has decreased, which is typically done a different day from the skin testing appointment.
In total, the process of allergy skin prick testing takes about 1-2 hours. However, it is best to prepare not too strenuous of activities for the remainder of the day after the test is performed, as patients often feel tired since they have just had exposure to their allergens. I personally enjoy taking a long nap after my testing or doing something relaxing such as reading.
I suggest if you are newly diagnosed with allergies or are interested in starting allergy testing to consult your primary care doctor and allergist before beginning the process.
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