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How to Deal With Skin Irritation From a Dust Mite Allergy?

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Is the dust in your home causing itchy skin?

If yes, here’s everything you need to know about how to treat skin irritation from a dust mite allergy:

More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year. In fact, it’s one of the leading causes of chronic illness in the United States!

Take hay fever, for example—it affects over 8% of all adults. Insect allergies are also common. For instance, many people are allergic to mosquitos and bees.

Dust mite allergy is also a thing. That’s why it’s so important to keep the house tidy—it helps to keep these critters at bay.

Want to know how to deal with these types of allergies? If so, you’re on the right page. We’ll be going over all that you need to know below.

Keep reading to learn more!

What Are Dust Mites?

Dust mites are microscopic bugs that live in household dust. They feed on flakes of dander or dead skin that are shed by people and animals.

Unfortunately, they’re almost impossible to get rid of entirely. With that said, there are ways to minimize their numbers.

What is a Dust Mite Allergy? 

These tiny insects can cause allergies in two ways. For one thing, you can be allergic to their waste products.

If you breathe it in, your immune system will go into overdrive, trying to get rid of these substances. Ultimately, it’s this response that leads to allergy symptoms.

Not only that, but their body parts can trigger symptoms as well.

Symptoms of a Dust Mite Allergy

Dust mite allergies can cause a variety of symptoms. For instance, it can result in a runny nose, scratchy throat, itchy eyes, or cough.

Those who have asthma may also experience difficulty breathing, wheezing, or shortness of breath.

Skin irritation is another common symptom. Put it simply; many people will develop a skin rash. Red and itchy, it can be very uncomfortable.

 Diagnosing Dust Mite Allergies 

It’s a good idea to visit the doctor if you experience allergy symptoms year-round—it may be a sign of a dust mite problem. Ideally, you want to see an allergist as they’re specialized in treating these types of conditions.

For instance, they might perform a skin prick test. During the procedure, they’ll prick your skin with a small amount of the allergen. If you’re allergic, the area will become red and inflamed.

Alternatively, they might choose to perform a blood test—that will allow them to screen for antibodies. The higher the number, the greater the chance that you’re allergic to dust mites.

How to Treat Skin Irritation From a Dust Mite Allergy

As mentioned earlier, it’s not uncommon for these allergies to result in skin irritation. Fortunately, there are ways that you can treat these symptoms. For example, you can take an oral antihistamine. They work by blocking the action of histamine—a substance that’s responsible for causing the allergy symptoms. In addition to that, there are topical antihistamines that you can use. Applied to the skin, they can provide quick relief from itchy skin. Similarly, there are topical corticosteroids that you can apply to the skin. They are available in a variety of forms, from creams to ointments.

Preventing Dust Mite Allergies

The best way to avoid an allergy is to limit your exposure to the allergen. In other words, you want to do whatever you can do limit the number of dust mites in the house.

Here are a few things that you might want to consider!

Use Dust Mite-Proof Bed Covers 

 These covers serve as a physical barrier for those who are allergic to dust mites. Tightly woven, they prevent dust from getting in and out of your bed, which effectively prevents the problem.

For example, you can get them for your mattress, pillows, or box spring. Generally speaking, those with zippered covers work best.

Use an Air Purifier 

 One of the best ways to prevent dust mite allergies is to use an air purifier. They’ll circulate the air through a filtration system, which will help to remove any airborne waste products.

Not only that, but it’ll be able to capture dust mites themselves as well. Ideally, you want to get something with a HEPA filter as those tend to be the most effective.

 

 

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