Allergens are substances which induce the allergic reactions when they come in contact with the allergic patient. The most effective prevention is to minimize exposure to allergens you know that you are allergic to. As you will see, this is not always possible, due to the nature of some of the allergens (for example, house dust mites are everywhere in the house, and nothing can be done to eliminate them once for all).

The list of most common allergens:

  • plant pollens (birch trees, ragweed, rye grass)
  • mold spores
  • dust (dust mites)
  • drugs (penicillins, sulfonamides)
  • foods (nuts, peanuts, cereals, cow’s milk, dairy products, seafood, egg’s white, soy)
  • insect stings (bees, wasps)
  • animal products (hairs, saliva proteins)
  • latex (household gloves, surgical gloves, balloons, toys)
  • cold (some persons have exaggerated reactions when they come in contact with cold: they develop skin rash, eczema, or oedema, especially on the exposed extremities such as hands and toes)

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