Skin Testing
Skin testing is the most reliable way of allergy testing. It is done by placing specific allergen extracts, known to cause allergic reactions in our area, on your arms or back via a small disposable plastic prong. On average you will receive about 30 of these "pricks" depending upon what triggers were determined with your consultation. These pricks do not break the skin, and are generally more annoying than painful. On children, we use a device that contains 10 prongs to make the process faster.
Once the tests are applied, they sit on your skin for about 15 minutes. Within this time, any extracts that you are allergic to will begin to itch and swell up, much like a mosquito bite. The larger the swelling, the more allergic you are to the susbstance.
Once the 15 minutes are up, the doctor will return to "read" your results. This is done by measuring the size of the reaction. Once the allergic triggers and sensitivity to theser triggers are determined, the doctor will discuss ways of managing your symptoms. This may include specific medications, immunotherapy (or allergy shots), or a combination of both.