So what IS a Skin Allergy Patch Test? Basically, it’s a test that determines a person’s level of allergic reaction to certain substances, especially useful to detect allergic reactions in people with eczema or contact dermatitis. I have been advised by my skin doctor to take the skin allergy patch test for a long time, and she advised that I only do it when my hand eczema is *under control*.
My eczema condition has been yoyoing over the past few months, and just these past weeks, it feels rather controlled, so I figured I would do it this week.
The catch? The test needs to be done over a period of 5 days; and I would need to see the doctor on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Apart from the 30 different allergens/substances that the doctor will test me on, she encouraged me to bring in my own lotions/detergents/stuff that I wanted to test on.
And since I only planned on doing this test just ONCE, I went crazy and brought almost everything I could think of.
Household detergents and cleansers, including a pair of rubber gloves:
Skincare products, sunblock, oils etc:
So on the first day (today), I passed all the stuff I brought in to the nurses and waited while they prepared the patch test for me. It was a long wait, of almost an hour and a half, but application of the stickers to my back was just a mere 1-2 minutes.
One little round sticker patch will be stuck to my back for each substance I was to be tested on. The doctor had 30, and I brought 20, so I had 50 little round stickers on my back. They were sticker sheets of 10 round patches on each sheet, numbered accordingly with reference to the substance being tested on.
Not a very pretty sight, actually. And yes, it is uncomfortable.
Another bummer from having this test done is that I am NOT supposed to get my back wet. No water, no showering and hence….no sweat. Which meant…..(sob sob) no gym for 5 whole days! And since the test completes this Friday, and I don’t go to the gym on weekends, that would mean 1 WHOLE WEEK of no exercising! 🙁 🙁 🙁
As you can see, I am not in a very good mood now, and on top of that, the stickers are making my back itch, and it has only been what…. 12 hours??! How on earth am I going to get through the next 48 hours?
On Wednesday, the stickers will be removed, but I am still supposed to keep the area dry.
NOT. LIKING. THIS. AT. ALL.
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How on earth can you keep from sweating? Sounds terrible esp for 5 days!
The Giddy Tigress says: Cannot prevent, but I don’t sweat that much unless I work out in the gym…so that eliminates it. The part that is the most difficult is not showering the back. Gosh, can’t wait for tomorrow…
Where do you took the test? and how much it cost?
B’cos I having allergy problem too, consider have a pitch test
The Giddy Tigress says: I took the test at my skin doctor’s. You can probably check with your doctor on whether he/she has the test available. The test is only for contact allergy though, not for food intake allergy. I think the test for food intake allergy is a different one.