Individuals that suffer from skin problems can experience severe disruptions if they fail to take effective steps to minimize their symptoms. A key part of this will have to involve the patient understanding the full range of substances that are likely to trigger reactions. To this end, a patch test can be an extremely effective solution for providing the patient with this information.
Will These Tests Be Able To Evaluate Multiple Substances?
A person may assume that it will be difficult to be evaluated as they might believe that it will be necessary for these tests to be done in phases so that one substance is tested at a time. In reality, a patch test can be used to test a patient for reactions to a wide range of potential substances and materials. This is possible as the patch test will be segmented into different sections so that a single material can be tested in each one.
Can A Patch Test Assist Patients That Suffer From Dermatitis?
Dermatitis can be a very common problem for patients to experience. Unfortunately, some people may assume that a patch test is only for finding general allergic reactions. Actually, these tests can be an excellent option for patients that suffer from dermatitis as this condition can be triggered or worsened by exposure to substances that trigger a response in your skin. While a patient that suffers from this condition will be rightly concerned about being exposed to substances that can trigger it, a patch test will be controlled in a way so that these reactions will be kept to a minimum. This is possible due to the extremely low concentration of these substances. While exposure to an allergen or other substances can trigger dermatitis, these patches will be in a low enough concentration so that these reactions will be extremely mild.
Are There Steps You Must Take To Avoid Interfering With The Patch Test?
While a patch test can be far more convenient than more traditional allergy testing, a patient will be required to wear these patches for at least a day. This is to ensure that any substances that trigger reactions will have enough time for the reactions to be observed. Due to the long period of time that you will need to wear these patches, you should take special precautions to ensure that the patches remain intact. For example, a person may want to avoid showering once the patches are applied to their skin. However, they will want to thoroughly clean their skin where the patch is to be applied so that oils and dirt do not prevent the patch from staying in place.
To learn more about patch tests, contact a doctor.