With the improvement of living conditions, wool products are everywhere in our lives, and cashmere products are gradually becoming fashionable. It is worth noting that allergies are not just a bit troublesome. Let’s first understand it: under normal circumstances, the body produces antibodies to resist diseases, but allergic individuals may mistake normal and harmless substances for harmful substances and produce antibodies, leading to some allergic symptoms, such as nasal itching, nasal congestion, and continuous sneezing in allergic rhinitis; Eczema may appear on the skin; Allergic conjunctivitis is characterized by itching and tearing of the eyes; Allergic asthma manifests as coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and in severe cases, shock.
So what do we need to do to fight against wool allergies?
1.For sensitive constitutions, the first thing to emphasize is to eliminate the cause, that is, not to contact allergens (including woolen sweaters, cashmere sweaters, wool blankets, wool mattresses, wool gloves, wool blankets, wool hats, wool scarves and other daily necessities).
2.In addition, it is also important to be cautious of cross allergies. What is cross allergy? It refers to having already developed an allergy to a certain item, and when coming into contact with other items in the future, although different from the previous allergic item, the chemical structure is similar and can also cause allergies. For people with wool allergies, it is best to go to the hospital to check for allergens and see if they are allergic to other animal hair or synthetic fiber products such as duck hair, rabbit hair, dog hair, cat hair, etc., to avoid cross reactions.
3.Maintain a happy mood and enhance physical fitness. Many times, allergies are related to the body’s immune system. Overfatigue, irregular sleep patterns, depression or irritability can easily trigger allergies. Having a happy mood often leads to good health; My mood has always been cheerful, and my eyes are bright.
4.For anti allergic treatment, oral medication mainly includes antihistamines. It is best to seek the opinion of a doctor when choosing medication, such as not choosing penicillin for those with slow heart beats; The dosage of cetirizine with poor kidney function should be halved. It is worth noting that many of our patients like to buy some ointments from pharmacies themselves, and many ointments for treating allergies contain hormones, which may cause many side effects such as red blood streaks, pigmentation, and skin atrophy. Therefore, it is safer to go to the dermatology department of a regular hospital and take medication under the guidance of a doctor.
(The author is the director of the Department of Dermatology and Sexuality at Massachusetts General Hospital)