When pressed on the skin, a white mark is left. Dermographic urticaria: when an allergy manifests itself in stripes on the body

It is known that during the night a sleeping person can change the position of the body, on average, up to 20 times. Moreover, more than a third of the night's sleep is spent in the supine position, the rest of the time - on the sides and stomach. In fact, the favorite position of the sleeping person determines the nature of the formation of wrinkles on the face. Published on the web portal

Considering that women like to sleep on their side, and men - on their stomach. Accordingly, after sleep wrinkles in women are more often visible on the jaw line and cheeks, while in men the face is pressed tightly against the pillow, and "sleep wrinkles" form on the forehead. According to doctors, the only possible way to get rid of sleep wrinkles is to force yourself to sleep on your back!

No matter what position we sleep in at night, the amount of hyaluronic acid in the deep layers of the skin decreases after the age of 25, which leads to a decrease in skin elasticity and the formation of age-related wrinkles and folds on the face. If we sleep face down or put our fist under our cheek so that it "moves out" almost on the eye, we are engaged in creating wrinkles on the face for 8 hours a day!

Wrinkles between the cheek and the back of the nose, between the lower lip and chin, wrinkles across the crow's feet, aggravation of the nasolabial folds, as well as various creases of the most bizarre shapes and sizes - most often this is the result of a night's sleep, in which the skin shifts, breaks or flattens.

Sleep on your stomach

The worst position is sleeping on your stomach with your face pressed against the pillow. Have you noticed vertical lines or tissue marks on your face after sleeping? If yes, then this is just a preview of the permanent wrinkles that are already forming. Those who prefer to sleep on their stomach often suffer from forehead wrinkles.

Sleep on your side

Studies show that an average person spends 60% of a night's sleep on their side. In this position, vertical lines are formed on the cheeks and chin. Sleeping in this position also exacerbates the condition of facial wrinkles (especially between the eyebrows and wrinkles around the lips). If you prefer to sleep on one of the sides, then it will quickly become clear which one. You can soften the effect a little by constantly changing sides, but this is still not a very good option.

Sleep on your back

The best way to avoid wrinkles is to eliminate any contact between your face and the pillow, which means sleeping on your back. In addition, you will get rid of rashes caused by bacteria living on the pillow, as well as puffy eyes in the morning, as the normal outflow of fluids will remain on the face throughout the night.

How to stop sleeping face down on a pillow

Firstly, it would be nice to wean yourself from sleeping on a pillow, especially since this is the best way to get rid of the habit of constantly turning over on it from side to side.
Secondly, for better control over your sleeping position, you can use a roll under your neck or under your knees if it is difficult to fall asleep in an unusual position on your back.
Even a simple scarf tied in a knot on the stomach can help you get out of the habit of sleeping in a pose on your stomach. This makes sleeping on your stomach extremely uncomfortable, and at the same time helps to wean yourself from the “face down” sleeping position.

If all these tips have already been tried by you, and your body stubbornly refuses to obey you and continues to take the “face down” position in a dream, then it makes sense change cotton pillowcases for silk or satin. The sliding fabric will leave fewer marks and creases on the skin of the face.

Mechanical or scientifically dermographic urticaria characterizes the pathological condition of the skin, when convex scars form on it. From the Greek language, the word "dermographism" means "inscriptions on the skin." Indeed, the marks on the skin resemble white or red scars, they can be in the form of drawings and words. The disease is common and occurs in 17% of people.

Traces of mechanical urticaria are somewhat reminiscent of inscriptions, so many people do not immediately recognize this disease in the "signs".

Mechanical urticaria can be different and have different causes. Main types:

Red. The cause is seborrheic dermatitis. After touching, red stripes remain on the skin.
Cholinergic. Stains remain after exposure to cold.
White. After mechanical action, not red, but white stripes remain.
Family. It is inherited.

Another classification divides urticaria depending on the cause of the disease:

Dermatographic. Appears after mechanical impact, for example, pressure with household items, clothing. Accompanied by redness, burning. Lasts from 30 minutes to several days.
Sunny. Changes occur after exposure to infrared and ultraviolet study.
Aquagenic. Occurs rarely. The reason is the ingress of water on the skin, regardless of its temperature.
Thermal / cold. Swelling and redness appear under the influence of a certain temperature, even after taking hot or cold drinks.
papular. Appears after an insect bite. It is dangerous if allergies and swelling appear in the throat area, there is a risk of suffocation.
Cholinergic. Appears due to increased sweating during stress.

The reasons

Mechanical urticaria appears unexpectedly, it will not even be immediately clear what caused it. There is a group of factors that activate pathological processes.

Causes of hives:

metabolic disorders and thyroid function;
allergy;
infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
genetic predisposition;
mechanical influences;
physical stress;
emotional overstrain;
release of histamine by mast cells onto the skin, which causes swelling.

The cause can be any failure in the human body: a decrease in immunity, long-term chronic diseases, wearing tight clothing.

Most of all, doctors tend to believe that the main reason is stress. To a lesser extent, diseases of the internal organs.

A pathological reaction of the skin can be provoked by taking medications: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, codeine, morphine, radiopaque, iodine-containing. Failure can occur after a blood transfusion.

Not always dermatographic urticaria is a separate disease. It may be a symptom of a more serious problem.

Symptoms

Mechanical urticaria may indicate a more serious problem in the body.

The main manifestation is red or white marks, swelling after mechanical or thermal exposure. Inflammation appears on any part of the skin, except for the scalp and genitals. The latter is rare, and large areas of skin are also rarely affected.

If you hold a sharp object across the skin of a healthy person, a white stripe appears, which disappears after a while. A person with mechanical urticaria develops a red, inflamed welt, white in the middle.

Redness appears a few minutes after mechanical action and disappears after a few minutes. With a severe form of dermography, traces can last for several days, months and even years. With proper treatment, discomfort and redness disappear after a few days.

Associated symptoms:

burning and itching;
scarring;
pain;
increased symptoms at elevated ambient temperature;
general weakness.

Symptoms may appear slowly or immediately. In the first case, the scars remain for several days and appear a few hours after prolonged exposure, in the second - after light pressure on the skin, the symptoms disappear after a couple of hours.

Body temperature rarely rises, usually a person feels a general malaise, headache, chills, aches.

Diagnostics

If the above symptoms appear, you should contact a therapist, dermatologist, allergist, immunologist.

A visual examination and a skin test are sufficient to make a diagnosis. The doctor acts on the surface of the skin with a blunt object and waits for a reaction. With mechanical urticaria, a white trace immediately appears resembling a scar. To reveal cholinergic dermographism, a piece of ice is passed over the skin. Solar urticaria is detected by irradiation with waves of different lengths.

The doctor's actions are determined based on the patient's complaints. Additionally, the doctor may prescribe an analysis for immunity, for thyroid hormones, a complete blood count and sowing on the intestinal flora.

Treatment

By itself, mechanical urticaria is not fatal, but the disease can cause great discomfort to the patient.

A mild form of mechanical urticaria does not require treatment. Symptoms leave a person after a few hours. Drug exposure is needed only with serious symptoms that affect the quality of life.

Treatment of mechanical urticaria usually gives poor results. The main goal of therapy is to eliminate the manifestations of urticaria and discomfort. It is much more effective to identify the cause and get rid of it.

Obsessive manifestations will help eliminate:

antihistamines;
antiallergic drugs;
histamine receptors;
leukotriene receptor antagonists.

While taking a bath, you need to abandon hard washcloths, aggressive detergents.

How to provide first aid? First, you need to eliminate the causes - directly the mechanical effect. Further, it is recommended to take an antihistamine or a glucocorticosteroid and, if there is no allergy to cold, apply an ice cube from water or chamomile decoction. You can make a compress from a warm decoction of chamomile.

If the form of the disease is severe and the patient begins to weaken, you should immediately call an ambulance. There is a risk of getting anaphylactic shock or Quincke's edema.

Treatment with folk remedies

Using decoctions of some herbs, you can weaken the form of the disease or completely get rid of it.

Instead of tea in the morning and evening, you can drink an infusion of succession.
A decoction of a collection of herbs will help get rid of skin problems: blackcurrant, yarrow, raspberry and mint.
Take celery root juice twice a day. Single dose - 1 teaspoon.
A lotion of nettle and lemon juice will help get rid of the symptoms faster. The mixture relieves itching and redness.

Do not forget about the elimination of risk factors. Clothing should be looser, not crush or rub, made from natural materials. In summer, it is recommended to use sunscreen, and in winter, frost protection.

The diet is also changing. The menu should not contain seafood, potatoes, carbonated and alcoholic drinks, chocolate, cheese, dairy products, eggs, processed foods. Add foods rich in vitamin E, C. B5, fresh fruits and vegetables, flax seeds, pumpkins, nuts, durum wheat pasta.

By self-medicating, you can start a disease that will be impossible to get rid of in the future. Simple preventive rules at the initial stage will help to permanently get rid of unpleasant symptoms.

Consider some of the symptoms of diseases on the skin.

Diseases of the skin

Dermographism of the skin

For most of us, the word "inscription" is associated with a wall. And some with a fingernail or a sharp object can easily write something on their own skin. In medical language, this phenomenon is called dermographism, which literally means "writing on the skin", and refers to the most common form of urticaria - bodily urticaria. The reason for the appearance - histamine - the same substance that causes a runny nose and sneezing in allergies - is released when you press on the skin. Histamine provokes the appearance of itching, redness and tingling. In response to light scratching, an itchy red mark is left on the skin that does not go away for several hours.

Although anyone can develop dermographism, it is more common in younger people. Sometimes this is a sign of stress, thyroid disorders, a viral infection.

stretch marks

If the lines on the skin are parallel, pink, purple or white in color and do not disappear over time, these may be stretch marks - striae. Most often they form on the abdomen, buttocks, chest, thighs and arms. As their name indicates, these lines appear when the skin is suddenly stretched quickly or for a long time.

Similar phenomena are observed in rapidly growing adolescents or rapidly recovering people. Stretch marks are present in 90% of pregnant women. Bodybuilders have stretch marks on their shoulders. If such lines appear on the face or other parts of the body, the cause may be long-term use of oral or topical corticosteroids. In addition, stretch marks can be a sign of diabetes, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), or Cushing's syndrome.

Recent studies have shown that women with stretch marks - from pregnancy or obesity - are at risk for pelvic organ prolapse later in life. This disorder is caused by a weakening of the supporting structure of the pelvis, resulting in pressure, pain, and problems with urination and defecation. Some women see something peeking out of their vagina.

Skin disease symptoms

Thick, rough skin is a symptom of what disease?

If you have a feeling that the skin has become thicker and denser, this may be a sign of a serious autoimmune disease - scleroderma. Translated from Latin, this name sounds like “rough skin”. Pathology is caused by increased production of collagen in the body. Scleroderma is a chronic connective tissue disease that affects the skin on the face, hands, and fingers, where it becomes thicker and rougher. Unfortunately, sometimes there is damage to the joints and internal organs. Symptoms of scleroderma often accompany Raynaud's disease, in which the fingers and palms become bluish in color.

Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, is four times more common in women than in men. The mildest form is called localized scleroderma, in which the skin of the face and fingers becomes shiny and feels tight.

Telangiectasia (dilation of small blood vessels) is another common symptom of localized scleroderma.

Diffuse scleroderma is a more severe form of this disease, it affects the most important internal organs. And it often causes serious problems in the gastrointestinal tract or when swallowing food, and this is already a direct threat to life.

The acronym for the main signs of scleroderma in English is CREST:

C: calcium deposits - excess calcium under the skin and in the body;
R: Raynaudsdisease - Raynaud's disease;
E: Esophagealdysfunction - disorders in the esophagus;
S: Skindamage - skin lesions on the fingers and toes (sclerodactyly);
T: Telangiectasia - dilated blood vessels.

Red or purple dense spots - symptoms of what disease?

Dense or hard spots of an oval shape, red or purple, may well be a symptom of morphea, a rare autoimmune disease that usually occurs on the trunk and limbs. In some cases, these spots gradually turn yellow, and a white dot remains in the middle. Sometimes they look like an incompletely healed scar or burn. Morpheus (from the Greek word for “form”) is a localized variant of scleroderma, an autoimmune disease that causes severe negative changes in internal organs. In contrast, morphea affects only the skin, without affecting other organs. But, as with scleroderma, in the case of morphea, the skin becomes dense, hard, rough, less plastic, and this affects dexterity and mobility.

Red skin on the legs is a symptom of what disease?

Sometimes the skin on the legs turns red due to allergies. In this case, naturally, the allergen that affects the skin is excluded. These can be medicines, vitamins, sunlight, synthetic materials, etc. Treatment includes taking antihistamines prescribed by your doctor.

Red spots on the legs can even appear due to malnutrition. If you abuse flour, sweet, smoked foods, the body is unlikely to like it, and it begins to work unstably. As a result, redness may occur on any part of the body. Remember that skin problems are often an indicator of what is happening in the work of the internal organs. What to do? Just eat right, include more vegetables, fruits, complex carbohydrates, protein in your diet.

Stress is another reason for redness. As a result, there are so-called "nerve" spots. It is enough just to stop being nervous, and the problem will disappear. To do this, drink herbal infusions or sedative drugs. Suitable motherwort or valerian. Rest more often and do not be nervous over trifles - health is more expensive.

Heredity also plays an important role in all those features that are inherent in the human body. It may turn out that the body is genetically predisposed to redness in the legs. There is nothing you can do about it - you just have to constantly look after this area to minimize the appearance of redness.

Redness of the skin on the legs may be associated with a burn: solar, thermal, chemical. The main task in this case is to cope with the problem as soon as possible and restore the natural state of the skin. To do this, use ointments and creams (for example, the well-known panthenol), as well as folk remedies (raw potatoes, etc.).

The skin in the leg area can also turn red from frostbite. In this case, you just need to warm up as soon as possible.

Take care of yourself and be healthy!

By their color, the type of this dermatological disease is determined, and in the future, the patient is diagnosed with red or white dermographism. The exact cause of the disease is still not known. It is believed that this is one of the types of urticaria, the appearance of which may be associated with external or internal stimuli of the body.

General characteristics of the disease

Translated from Greek, dermographism is referred to as "writing on the skin" or "skin schedule". People suffering from this pathology of epidermal tissues daily observe a wide variety of patterns on their bodies, which sometimes resemble inscriptions and drawings. The nature of their occurrence lies in the fact that sensitive skin turns red and is taken in strips after interaction with solid environmental objects. Tight clothing, pressure folds from blankets, and routine stroking of the skin can lead to swelling, redness, or multiple, irregularly shaped white swellings.

According to the type of skin reaction, acute dermographism and chronic are distinguished. The first type of the disease is characterized by an increased degree of sensitivity of the epidermis. In the case of mechanical action on the skin, not only its upper layer becomes inflamed, but also deeper tissues. Swelling from the touch of a solid object may not go away for several days, and the inflammatory process begins to develop so extensively that it affects other areas of the skin that have not been injured. Chronic dermographism of red or white etiology does not proceed so aggressively, and is limited to local irritation of the epidermis directly at the site of contact between the skin and an object from the environment.

Species classification of dermographism

This dermatological disease is divided into types based on the clinical picture of its course observed at all stages of manifestation. Dermographism is classified as follows:

White. The appearance of white stripes and patterns after mechanical action on the skin is considered a normal reaction in people with a hypersensitive surface of epidermal tissues. Puffiness of the skin with a pronounced white tint is formed after even slight pressure and holding a finger or any hard, sharp object.
Red. This type of dermographism is formed after a stronger mechanical effect on the patient's skin. Such a reaction of the body indicates violations of the vasomotor reaction of the peripheral nervous system. Red marks appear on the skin 15 seconds after contact. In the chronic form of the disease, they persist for about 1-2 hours. In the acute type, the course of dermographism, red stripes on the body may not go away from 1 to 3 days.
Urticarial. The most common type of dermographism. It accounts for about 15% of all dermatological diseases. In addition to the characteristic red spots and stripes, a small urticarial rash forms on irritated skin, which itches and causes physical discomfort.
Hydropic. This type of disease is the least common in medical practice, and is a kind of individual reaction of the skin. With its manifestation, epidermal tissues do not acquire any characteristic color, and oblong edema in the form of a roller forms at the points of contact. The height of the swelling is from 1 to 3 mm, and the width is 2-3 cm. They appear with a slow reaction - a minute after touching the skin, and disappear after a few hours. In this case, the patient does not experience any tactile discomfort.

Diagnostic value of the disease

Dermographism can not always act as an independent skin disease. Quite often, this is just an additional symptom to the main pathology, which lies in the unhealthy state of one or another internal human organ. When a patient seeks medical help with signs of red or white dermographism, doctors refer him for examination to exclude the presence of diseases such as:

exhaustion or intoxication of the nervous system;
meningitis;
psoriasis;
vegetative neurosis;
thyrotoxicosis;
sympathetic innervation;
disorder of the parasympathetic nervous system.

How is dermographism treated?

Do not jump to conclusions if red or white spots periodically appear on the skin. Their presence does not necessarily indicate that a person develops skin dermographism. You need to seek help from a dermatologist or immunologist so that they conduct an initial examination of the epidermal tissues, and coordinate the procedure for further examination, delivery of all necessary tests.

In addition to a visual study of irritated areas of the skin, the doctor, using special medical equipment, performs skin testing for mechanical impact.

If the test results are positive and there is a suspicion of red or white dermographism, the patient is recommended to undergo the following examination:

Based on the results of the examination, it will be more clear what is the cause of skin hypersensitivity, and what course of treatment to choose in a particular case. Most often, this abnormal behavior of the skin is associated with nervous strain, and does not require global therapy with potent drugs.

It is enough for the patient to streamline his lifestyle, sleep at least 8 hours a day, avoid stress, use sedatives, and the painful condition of the skin disappears by itself. Practicing psychiatrists tend to the same opinion, reducing the manifestation of red and white dermographism to malfunctions in some centers of the brain responsible for the sensory perception of tactile touches by the skin. A striking example of this is that 20% of mentally ill people with signs of organic brain damage suffer from red and white dermographism.

Counteraction to severe forms of the disease consists in the following manipulations:

Isolation of the patient from the outside world in the ward with a minimum number of objects that have a sharp and hard surface.
Taking antihistamines to minimize skin irritation.
External treatment of inflamed areas of the skin with antiseptic solutions in the form of salicylic acid and camphor alcohol.

Therapy of red and white dermographism at home consists in wiping the reddened skin with decoctions of chamomile, oak bark, coltsfoot. You can also moisten pieces of gauze fabric in them, and make compresses on inflamed areas of the epidermis. As drugs of the local spectrum of action, drugs such as:

To eliminate the stress factor, a soothing tincture of peony or motherwort is included in the diet. It is taken in 1 tbsp. twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. Most patients suffering from red and white dermographism noted an improvement in their general health, a decrease in the level of skin sensitivity, a decrease in the amount of redness, and there was no factor in the development of an extensive inflammatory process.

Causes and treatment of red dermographism

Dermographism red, or dermographic urticaria, is one of the fairly common skin pathologies. It is characterized by the appearance of pink or red stripes on the skin after exposure to a blunt object with little force. The reason for this phenomenon is the expansion of capillaries. A kind of dermographism, which is called white, is considered normal: if you draw a stick or other object over the skin, a white strip appears, which disappears without additional effort after a few minutes.

With dermographic urticaria, the strip has a bright red color, lasts a long time, and an itchy rash may appear around it. Also, the trace may rise slightly above the level of the skin.

Causes of the disease

The exact reasons why red dermographism appears have not been established. There is some relationship between the condition of the skin and the health of the gastrointestinal tract. Also among the causes of dermographism, experts include:

tendency to constipation;
dysbacteriosis;
gastritis;
the presence of worms and lamblia;
gluten intolerance;
disorders in the thyroid gland.

However, the main disease is still associated with allergies. Sometimes, in order to cope with red dermographism, it is enough to stop wearing clothes and underwear made of synthetic fabrics and pay attention to your diet. There is also some connection between atypical skin behavior and stress: in some people, dermographism appears as a result of emotional overload, as a reaction of the body to unusual or difficult conditions. It is also worth considering heredity: if close relatives have had cases of dermographism, it is highly likely that they may also appear in you.

If you have noticed signs of dermographism in yourself, try to exclude undesirable types of mechanical impact on the affected area:

do not wear too tight-fitting clothes and underwear, underwear with coarse seams;
discard a shoulder bag or backpack if painful streaks appear in places where the straps come into contact with the skin;
do not use rough washcloths and massagers that scratch the skin, do not sweat with brooms;
give preference to natural fabrics (linen, cotton), but try to avoid skin contact with wool.

The danger of dermographism

In itself, this phenomenon is not a separate disease - most experts believe that this is one of the forms of urticaria. It is dangerous primarily because it causes inconvenience to its carrier. Prolonged inflammation and itching can lead to the formation of wounds on the surface of the skin. Violation of the integrity of the upper part of the skin is dangerous because it creates conditions for the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the body. If itching persists for a long time and does not go away even after taking antihistamines, be sure to undergo an examination, visit a doctor. Perhaps the drug you have chosen is not effective enough in your case, and it needs to be changed.

Like many types of dermatitis, red dermographism sometimes remains a mysterious phenomenon of an unidentified nature. It also happens that a person has been examined completely and has no visible problems, but red itchy stripes on the body still form. This type of red dermographism is called idiopathic. An inflamed skin condition can cause serious psychological problems - a person refuses to contact the opposite sex, is embarrassed to be naked in public. Therefore, it is necessary to be examined, in some cases it is possible to get rid of unpleasant skin manifestations quite effectively.

Treatment of dermographism

A good effect in the treatment of dermographism gives the use of modern antihistamines. If the affected areas are very itchy, painful, interfere with normal life, it is also worth using medicinal ointments that relieve inflammation and swelling. Quite often, the treatment regimen looks like this:

antihistamines;
vasoconstrictors;
decongestant ointments, itch relievers;
diet;
intake of lacto- and bifidobacteria;
choleretic drugs.

All of these drugs are sold in pharmacies without a prescription, but you should not prescribe them yourself (with the exception of bifidus and lactobacilli). For example, choleretic herbal preparations can cause an allergic reaction, and they are also prohibited for biliary dyskinesia. Outwardly with red dermographism, ointments and gels with a cooling and soothing effect can be used.

For example, Fenistil-gel, Skin-up ointments, Gistan have proven themselves well. All of these drugs are non-hormonal and have a small number of contraindications, they cope well with persistent itching, and help relieve painful swelling of the skin.

Nutrition for red dermographism

Be sure to review your menu, because many skin problems are associated with the fact that the body does not receive any useful substances, vitamins. The diet for dermographism, in particular, involves:

refusal of salty, smoked, spicy and spicy;
reducing the amount of alcohol consumed up to the complete rejection of it;
inclusion in the diet of a sufficient amount of fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits (with the exception of highly allergenic grapes and citrus fruits);
daily consumption of fermented milk products (kefir, cottage cheese).

Sometimes the diet menu becomes the main assistant in the difficult task of getting rid of skin problems. A sufficient amount of vegetable fiber and regular consumption of fermented milk products help to normalize stools and get rid of the problem of lazy intestines. Adhering to a healthy diet for quite a long time, one can note an improvement in the general condition of the body: a fresh complexion, smooth, shiny hair, normal sleep, good performance. All this is largely due to the composition and quality of the products that come to our table.

Folk methods of treatment

Do not neglect folk recipes, which sometimes turn out to be even more effective than strong pharmaceutical preparations. To get rid of dermographism, infusions of medicinal herbs are traditionally used.

You can make an infusion of nettle. To do this, pour 50 g of nettle into 500 ml of water, boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat, cool, strain. Treat the affected areas of the skin with the resulting decoction. Can be used multiple times throughout the day.

You can use raspberry roots. Pour 50 g of crushed raspberry roots with two glasses of water, boil for 15 minutes, then leave to infuse for about 1 hour. The resulting decoction is taken orally 100 ml once a day.

For treatment, take an equal amount of sage, succession, St. John's wort, chamomile, celandine and valerian mix. Take 5 tbsp. l. mixture, add water and boil for minutes. Cool the resulting broth, strain thoroughly and add to a warm bath. Take medicinal baths with herbal decoction daily for 2 weeks. Significantly alleviates the condition even when persistent dermographism.

You can prepare a strong decoction from equal parts of chamomile and a string. Strain it. Moisten a cloth with the resulting composition and apply to the affected area of \u200b\u200bthe skin. Such a composition effectively relieves inflammation, pacifies itching, relieves pain, if present.

Olive oil is also very helpful in healing. Heated olive oil can be used to treat affected areas. You need to lubricate abundantly, but do not rub: additional mechanical effects in the affected area are highly undesirable.

Raw potatoes are effective in healing. To do this, take a fresh medium-sized potato, grate until gruel is obtained. Wrap the gruel in gauze and apply to the inflamed area. The product relieves swelling and itching well.

Warm baths with sea salt are good for healing. You need to take baths with sea salt dissolved in them every other day (100 g of salt per 10 liters of water). In no case should you use cosmetic salts with fragrances, because they can cause additional irritation and allergies. After taking a bath, it is not necessary to wash off the composition from the skin, it is enough to blot the body with a towel (but do not rub).

How to prevent dermographism?

By following simple precautions, you can prevent the development of many skin diseases, including dermographic urticaria:

if allergy testing helped to identify the allergen, exclude any contact with it;
stick to a normal regimen, get enough rest, get enough sleep - stresses that lead to rashes and itching are not uncommon these days;
try to treat your skin as carefully as possible: use creams with UV filters, do not stay on the beach for too long, avoid hypothermia;
make it a rule not to take too hot showers or baths. Water should be warm, comfortable temperature - in this case, it does not irritate the skin.

If you have noted any strange skin manifestations, do not hesitate to contact your doctor.

Timely treatment will help you quickly return to your usual full life.

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The described methods of diagnosis, treatment, traditional medicine recipes, etc. it is not recommended to use it on its own. Be sure to consult with a specialist so as not to harm your health!

Symptoms and treatment of red dermographism

Red dermographism is a phenomenon that can sometimes be ignored for a long time. This skin disease is often overlooked. At the same time, skin dermographism (although this is a little-studied and mostly not dangerous disease) can cause noticeable discomfort to young people. Since human skin is the main signaling agent about the state of the body, it is important to take into account the symptoms of red dermographism.

Despite the fact that the skin is the largest and at the same time the most important organ of the human body, its condition is undeservedly rarely given attention. But it is precisely by the condition of the skin that one can guess about the possible violations that occur in the human body. The causes of the disease will be described below, but for now it is worth familiarizing yourself with the very concept of “persistent red dermographism”.

What is red dermographism? This is a kind of disease that is a variation of another disease called urticarial dermographism. Red dermographism is nothing more than a reaction to mechanical, thermal or other external effects on the skin. It can be characterized by the fact that as a result of pressure, exposure to extreme temperatures or even under the influence of a stressful situation, red marks appear on the skin that persist for a long time.

So, the reasons for the appearance of red dermographism can be called:

friction, shock and other mechanical effects on the skin;
too low or too high temperatures;
allergy;
heredity;
stress.

If you try to explain this phenomenon in simple terms, then it is worth remembering that when pressing on a person’s skin or exposing it to the edge of an object, you can notice some color changes: the skin at the site of physical impact first turns pale, then turns red, but the redness soon disappears. However, not all people have a similar reaction. A very small percentage of the population may note persistent redness or blanching of the skin. This is called red dermographism and white dermographism, respectively.

As a rule, such a phenomenon does not bring painful sensations, therefore people do not attach importance to it. But sometimes these manifestations can be evidence of a serious violation in the functioning of the body. That is why you should consult a doctor for advice if you suspect the presence of red dermographism.

Dermographism is recognized by experts as one of the forms of urticaria. Symptoms of this phenomenon are primarily associated with excessive sensitivity of human skin to various kinds of influences. It can be the friction of tight clothing, a collar, or even a watch strap.

Although the disease usually does not bring significant discomfort, in some cases, a person who suffers from red dermographism may develop an inflammatory process due to a scratch or callus. Even with an accidental impact, a red “scar” appears on the skin. It seems that you can write on the skin. This is probably why red dermographism is otherwise called "writing on the skin."

Sometimes even the slightest friction against rough tissue or a slight bruise can cause swelling and itching. At the same time, a red scar is formed at the site of mechanical impact, and a burning sensation and discomfort also occur. Often this condition disappears within a few minutes, but it happens that the traces can last for several days.

In most cases, clinical manifestations disappear as suddenly as they appeared. In a small number of people, red dermographism can persist throughout life.

In general, the disease does not pose a threat to life, but people living with this pathology sometimes have to experience discomfort.

In order to make sure that the remaining marks on the skin after an inaccurate touch are precisely dermographism, you should consult a doctor who will diagnose. This can usually be done by a dermatologist or immunologist.

Diagnostic examination by and large consists in a visual examination. To do this, a specialist can conduct a small test of the skin and see how it reacts to a certain mechanical effect. If during the test the version of red dermographism is confirmed, then the doctor may prescribe an additional examination:

tests for helminthic invasion and the presence of pathogenic intestinal flora;
general blood analysis;
analysis for thyroid hormones;
analysis for the state of immunity.

In accordance with the results obtained, the path of therapeutic action will be selected. Although, as a rule, additional treatment is not required. Often the disease disappears on its own.

Although dermographism red is not generally considered to require special treatment, it is still necessary to be aware of what measures can be taken. As a first aid for detecting symptoms of red dermographism, the following steps can be taken:

as far as possible, avoid mechanical action on the skin;
take an antihistamine;
get rid of the sensation of itching and burning.

In order to relieve itching, you can use a traditional medicine. If there is no allergic reaction to the cold, several ice cubes wrapped in cloth can be applied to the affected area. In other cases, you can use compresses from chamomile decoction, which are applied to the damaged area.

Sometimes medication may also be required. Naturally, it is prescribed only by a doctor and is carried out exclusively under his supervision. In the course of drug therapy for red dermographism, H1 therapy with antihistamines is prescribed. These drugs allow you to selectively block the action of histamine, which often causes a reaction in the form of dermographic urticaria.

Antihistamine drugs relieve the symptoms of dermographism and alleviate the condition within a few days. The group of such drugs includes:

If the effect of drugs of the H1 antihistamine group is insignificant, they can be replaced with H2 drugs, which have a stronger effect:

It is impossible to take drugs of one or another group on your own, the dose and type of drug should be determined by the attending physician.

Even strong antihistamines can not always alleviate the condition. In this regard, other methods of treatment may be selected. This is primarily the use of oral steroids.

They are the most useful when antihistamines fail to cope with dermographism.

Another method of treating red dermographism is the use of ultraviolet radiation, such treatment shows good results in the treatment in the short term.

If the cause of red dermographism was stress, prolonged nervous tension, then therapy with the use of antidepressants is not excluded.

Local treatment is also possible. To get rid of scars and redness on the skin, ointments can be used that relieve irritation and redness, as well as reduce itching and burning. In addition, these funds affect the scars. It is preferable to use Fenistil gel, Drapolen cream, Nezulin and gels, which contain aloe extract.

By agreement with the doctor, you can also use traditional medicine. Often, it is they who can provide all the necessary assistance and effectively deal with the manifestations of red dermographism. It can be decoctions based on string, nettle leaves, duckweed. Freshly squeezed juices from carrots and beets, celery are also very useful.

In addition to treatment, it is important to observe preventive measures, for example, do not wear tight clothes, eat right, and avoid stressful situations.

All information on the site is provided for informational purposes only. Before using any recommendations, be sure to consult your doctor.

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Demographic (dermographic) urticaria: when marks on the skin after pressure swell, itch and interfere with life

Dermographic urticaria, which has other names - autographism, urticarial dermographism, dermatographic urticaria, is considered as a special type of mechanical urticaria, which manifests itself with prolonged or short-term exposure to the skin of a mechanical stimulus. In this article, we will look at photos, symptoms and treatment of demographic (dermographic) urticaria, the causes and features of the disease.

Features of the disease

A factor provoking autographism can be belt pressure, clothing friction, vibration, movement of a blunt object on the skin with pressure. At the same time, the skin does not always itch, but reacts to the provocation with the formation of swelling, redness, blisters, repeating the shape of the irritant object or its trajectory. For example, if a patient scratches an itchy area, whitish-pink stripes will appear over the skin during scratching.

The dermographic form also includes urticaria from the action of pressure, when skin reactions occur in the form of swelling and irritation after a time of 2 to 6 hours. For example, under a wristwatch, after prolonged pressure, a blister will swell in the form of a bracelet around the wrist. Tight compression stockings, tight shoes can have the same effect.

Autographism is observed in 8 - 13% of all types of urticaria. More often (65 - 95%), the disease affects people predisposed to allergies, often occurring in parallel with other types of allergies - heat urticaria, cold, cholinergic, dermatitis, Quincke's edema. But with dermographic urticaria, itching appears less frequently.

Urticarial dermographism (photo)

Classifications of demographic urticaria

By shape

the primary form, which develops directly under the action of a provoking factor;
secondary, when the disease is provoked by an existing internal pathology (mastocytosis, neurological diseases, systemic lupus, serum sickness).

This video will tell you what autographism is:

According to the speed of reaction

There are three types of autographism according to the reaction speed:

immediate type (more frequent), in which the skin reaction is visible 2 to 5 minutes after pressure, remaining for about half an hour;
medium, when swelling and irritation develops in the range from half an hour to 2 hours and lasts up to 3 to 9 hours;
late (rare type), giving a skin reaction after 4 to 6 hours, which lasts up to 2 to 3 days.

With an average and late reaction, itching, soreness, swelling and hyperemia appear in places where prolonged and strong pressure was applied to the body:

on the shoulders after the straps of a backpack or shoulder bag;
on the ankles after squeezing them with a tight rubber band of socks;
on the wrists after the belt of a bag or bracelet;
in any places squeezed by tight linen, belts;
on the feet after a long walk;
on the buttocks when sitting for a long time, on the skin from the inside of the thighs after riding and cycling.

In all types, a clear sequence of skin changes is observed: reddening of the skin occurs after the action of a physical stimulus, then the reddened area swells, puffiness forms, which grows, becoming wider.

By type of reaction

According to the type of reaction differentiate:

Local dermographism, in which skin reactions are limited to the site of irritation.
Reflex, when changes on the skin after pressing and holding a solid sharp object over the body appear after 5–20 seconds in the form of a bright red stripe up to 6–7 mm wide. This phenomenon is explained by the expansion of small arterioles and is a typical vasomotor reflex.

By manifestation

There are several types of dermographism:

Red, in which red or bright pink streaks protrude from the skin, formed by strong pressure from a blunt, hard object. Better expressed on the upper body.
White dermographism. For him - with a weak brief pressure - the appearance of white stripes is characteristic, which is due to a spasm of the capillaries. It is more pronounced on the legs and lasts longer than "red" dermographism. Unlike "red", such a vascular reaction is explained not by the expansion, but by the narrowing of the capillaries.
Sublime dermographism, in which initially red stripes up to 60 mm wide with uneven contours are formed, which after 2-3 minutes are replaced by white, long-lasting blisters that swell above the skin. Such skin changes are due to the high permeability of the vascular wall.

Causes

Medical analysis of the mechanism of occurrence and development of dermographic urticaria and its variations has not been completed. It has been established that painful changes in the skin under pressure, vibration, pressing are due to the stimulation of mast cells. In response to a provocation, they actively release large portions of histamine, a regulator of allergic reactions, into the blood, which activates processes that increase the permeability of the microvascular wall, which further determines the nature and severity of symptoms.

Skin coloration with stroke pressure is associated with:

extension (red autographism) or
narrowing (white form) of small vessels that provide blood supply to the skin.

But it is not clear why the skin of different patients reacts in one way or another.

It has been established that urticarial dermographism affects people:

with a hereditary predisposition to the disease;
after a viral infection;
with special emotional instability;
after severe stress, prolonged nervous strain;
after poisoning with ethanol, heavy metals, other toxins.

Symptoms

The symptomatology of autographism depends on the type of disease, but in any case, with mechanical irritation of the skin, the basic signs remain as follows:

the appearance of red, pink, whitish stripes directed along the action of the stimulus or repeating its shape;
itching, swelling, burning and feeling of skin tension;
swelling of the skin in the form of blisters.

A feature of dermographism, unlike many other allergic skin reactions, is the frequent absence of itching or its very low intensity.

Types of dermographism and symptoms Table No. 1

Diagnostics

Dermographic urticaria of the immediate type is quite easy to identify. The allergist irritates the skin with a blunt spatula, passing it over the patient's body with a moderate degree of pressure. The appearance in 3-20 minutes at the site of irritation of red or white stripes, blisters confirms the diagnosis.

The delayed type of dermographism is more difficult to identify, since all signs develop several hours after prolonged pressure on the body.

Whether urticarial dermographism is treatable, we will find out further.

Treatment

Therapeutic way

Local remedies that relieve skin manifestations - itching, erythema, swelling: Radevit, Elidel, Psilo-balm, Protopic, Eplan, La Cree, Skin Cap. Glucocorticoid external agents help in severe cases.

According to their impact, they are divided into:

Weak glucocorticoid ointments: Sinaflan, Flucinar, Laticort, Hydrocortisone.
Medium: Afloderm, Fluorocort, Triamcinolone;
Strong: Advantan, Celestoderm B, Locoid, Elokom, Clovate, Dermovate

In a medical way

Dermographic urticaria is treated with the same groups of medicines as other types of urticaria. First of all, antiallergic drugs of different generations are used, which are selected depending on the patient's individual reaction to a particular drug.

Some doctors recommend vasoconstrictors for the red form of dermographism and vasodilators for white ones.
Others are negative about this treatment option, since the effect of such drugs on the body is general, which means that their effect extends to the vessels of all organs, including the brain and heart. Therefore, the use of vasodilators (vasodilators) or drugs that are opposite in effect can lead to problems in the blood supply to the cerebral and coronary vessels or their sharp expansion, which threatens with hemorrhagic stroke, thromboembolism.

The treatment regimen for urticarial dermographism is discussed further point by point.

Antihistamines II - III generation

Usually, therapy begins with the use of standard doses of antihistamines of the II-III generation. Daily dosage for adults:

Claritin, Lomilan (loratadine) - 10 mg;
Telfast, Feksadin (fexofenadine) - 150 mg. It is strictly forbidden for pregnant, lactating, children under 6 years old;
Xizal, Suprastinex, Zodak, Glenset, Caesera (levocetirizine) - 5 mg, contraindications are the same as for drugs with fexofenadine;
Ebastine (piperidine) - 10 mg;
Erius, Allergostop (desloratadine) - 5 mg;
Zyrtec, Zodak (cetirizine) - 10 mg.

A new drug that helps well with dermographic urticaria, but does not cause sedation (drowsiness) - Trexil with the active ingredient terfenadine. Used in tablets and suspensions. The recommended dose for adult patients over the age of 12 is 60 mg (or 10 ml of suspension) 2 times. Children's doses: 3 - 7 years, 15 mg, 7 - 12 years - 30 mg, morning and evening.

If the latest generation antistaminals do not help, the dosages, as a rule, are not increased, but a second drug with a different active substance is added to the therapy regimen.

Or they use the means of the 1st generation, often more effective for urticaria: Diphenhydramine, Suprastin, Tavegil, Pipolfen. In severe skin manifestations with severe itching, Tavegil, Suprastin is administered intramuscularly.

With frequent exacerbations of long-term dermographism, use:

Ketotifen. Adult dose 0.001 - 0.002 g twice a day. Children are given a syrup: up to six months - in a daily dose at the rate of 0.05 mg per kilogram of the baby's weight, from six months to 3 years - 0.5 mg twice a day, from 3 years - 1 mg each.
Cyproheptadine: 4 - 8 mg (3 or 4 times); the children's dose, based on the norm of 0.25 - 0.5 mg / kg, is also divided into 3 - 4 doses.

Histamine H2 receptor suppressors

If the patient does not respond to therapy with antiallergic drugs, try the introduction of agents that suppress histamine H2 receptors:

Cimetidine: 0.3 grams up to 4 times a day. Children's daily doses from the age of one year are calculated: 25 - 30 mg per 1 kilogram of weight, for infants up to a year old - at the rate of 20 mg / kg of weight;
Ranitidine for patients over 12 years of age, 0.150 - 0.300 g (2 or 1 time per day);
Famotidine (from 12 years old) - twice at 0.020 g.

Hormonal remedies

In those rare cases when the severity of symptoms does not decrease, it is necessary to use short courses (2-4 days) of hormonal agents that quickly relieve swelling and itching.

Prednisolone is usually prescribed in a daily adult dose of 0.04 - 0.06 grams, Dexamethasone - 0.004 - 0.020 g (or 1 injection per day) in the acute period.

Relief of common symptoms

Common symptoms are relieved by taking:

Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Ketonal for painful blisters, headache, fever;
Cerucal - with nausea;
Decitel, No-Shpu - with abdominal cramps.

Since experts associate the development of dermographic urticaria with the instability of the nervous system, they prescribe courses:

vitamins of group B, including Neuromultivit, Milgamma, vitamins B1, B6, B12 in injections;
sedatives: decoctions, tinctures, tablets with valerian root, motherwort, Novopassit;
during exacerbations - Bellantaminal, Belloid (one tablet 3 times / day).

Since skin manifestations in dermographic urticaria are associated with an abnormally high permeability of the vascular wall, the following are used:

ascorbic acid;
flavonoids (Rutin, Ascorutin, Quercetin, Vitamin P) under the control of blood clotting to avoid increased viscosity;
vitamers (semi-synthetic derivatives) - Venoruton, Phlebodia, Detrolex, Troxevasin in various forms (capsules, gel, solutions).

With severely tolerated symptoms - especially pronounced itching, insomnia, neurological disorders, it is desirable to prescribe tranquilizers from the group of benzodiazepines (Phenazepam, Xanax, Diazepam) and antidepressants - Paxil, Doxepin.

Disease prevention

In order for exacerbations of dermographism to appear less often, it is necessary:

With the development of urticarial dermographism, the consequences may be as follows:

Frequent exacerbations of urticaria deplete the nervous system of patients, leading to depression.
Prolonged pressure, often repeated in the same places, contributes to thinning, damage to the dermis. At the same time, pyogenic bacteria easily penetrate deep into, leading to pustular infections of the skin, furunculosis, local suppuration with the development of an abscess.
Common symptoms of malaise, which often accompany skin reactions - fever, nausea, headaches - contribute to a drop in the body's immune defenses.
Since any allergic diseases are "reinforced" by other types of allergies, dermographic urticaria in rare cases is complicated by Quincke's edema, dangerous laryngeal edema, and anaphylactic shock.

Forecast

A timely diagnosis and the treatment taken slow down and alleviate the disease. Strengthening the immune system, the vascular wall, the nervous system contribute to the mild course of pathology.

This video provides useful information about dermographic and other types of urticaria.

Dermographism is a highly hypersensitivity of the skin to external stimuli. From the slightest touch or too much pressure on the skin, pronounced traces of exposure remain on its surface, which can appear as red or white stripes. By their color, the type of this dermatological disease is determined, and in the future, the patient is diagnosed with red or white dermographism. The exact cause of the disease is still not known. It is believed that this is one of the species, the appearance of which may be associated with external or internal stimuli of the body.

General characteristics of the disease

Species classification of dermographism

This dermatological disease is divided into types based on the clinical picture of its course observed at all stages of manifestation. Dermographism is classified as follows:

Diagnostic value of the disease

exhaustion or intoxication of the nervous system;
meningitis;
psoriasis;
vegetative neurosis;
thyrotoxicosis;
sympathetic innervation;
disorder of the parasympathetic nervous system.

How is dermographism treated?

In addition to a visual study of irritated areas of the skin, the doctor, using special medical equipment, performs skin testing for mechanical impact.

If the test results are positive and there is a suspicion of red or white dermographism, the patient is recommended to undergo the following examination:

Counteraction to severe forms of the disease consists in the following manipulations:

Isolation of the patient from the outside world in the ward with a minimum number of objects that have a sharp and hard surface.
Taking antihistamines to minimize skin irritation.
External treatment of inflamed areas of the skin with antiseptic solutions in the form of salicylic acid and camphor alcohol.

claritin;
cetirizine;
Benadryl;
zyrtec;
tagamet;
zantac;
brikanil.

When pressed on the skin, a white mark is left. Dermographic urticaria: when an allergy manifests itself in stripes on the body

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The reasons

Symptoms

Diagnostics

Treatment

Treatment with folk remedies

Diseases of the skin

Skin disease symptoms

General characteristics of the disease

Species classification of dermographism

Diagnostic value of the disease

How is dermographism treated?

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Causes and treatment of red dermographism

Causes of the disease

The danger of dermographism

Treatment of dermographism

Nutrition for red dermographism

Folk methods of treatment

How to prevent dermographism?

Symptoms and treatment of red dermographism

Demographic (dermographic) urticaria: when marks on the skin after pressure swell, itch and interfere with life

Features of the disease

Classifications of demographic urticaria

By shape

According to the speed of reaction

By type of reaction

By manifestation

Causes

Symptoms

Diagnostics

Treatment

Therapeutic way

In a medical way

Antihistamines II - III generation

Histamine H2 receptor suppressors

Hormonal remedies

Relief of common symptoms

Disease prevention

Forecast

General characteristics of the disease

Species classification of dermographism

Diagnostic value of the disease

How is dermographism treated?