Skin testing

Placement of this testing is done very quickly and efficiently, requiring 1-2 minutes. 15 minutes later, we have all our answers about your specific allergies! If you are allergic to anything on the test, you will have a raised and slightly itchy bump in that test site. Once the allergen extracts are cleaned from the skin, any bumps that have formed will resolve within a few minutes.

Skin testing can be done to test for allergies to environmental allergens, foods, some stinging insects, and some medications, such as penicillin and lidocaine. We can get results right away, which are discussed in the office that day, so there’s no delay in discussing the test results and treatment options. Skin testing is typically much more accurate than blood testing in diagnosing allergies.

The only downside is that it’s only accurate if you stop taking antihistamines (such as Benadryl, Zyrtec, Claritin, etc.) 5 days or more prior to the test date. One way you can determine whether or not medications are antihistamines is to make sure you read the product label on the package, or if you have any doubts, feel free to ask your allergist. Even topical antihistamines such as nasal sprays and eye drops should be stopped.

The following medications do not need to be stopped for skin testing: Singulair (Montelukast), inhaled asthma medications, nasal steroid sprays (such as Flonase and Nasacort), and low-dose oral steroids. If you have any questions regarding whether or not a medication might interfere with skin testing, contact your allergist.

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