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 | Most people have wonderful memories of spending summer days at the campground. Camping is an American tradition, whether it's in the mountains, at the beach, in the desert, or even in the backyard. Just about any outdoor activity that involves spending the night in a tent, trailer or RV or just out under the stars in a sleeping bag counts as camping. Outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming, and just sitting around the campfire are what make camping really special. Unfortunately, people with allergies need to take extra precautions while camping, as many activities can worsen allergy symptoms. | |
Mosquito Allergy
Mosquitoes are flying, biting insects that are closely related to flies and gnats. Only the female mosquito feeds on humans, and she needs a blood meal in order to produce eggs. During a feeding, the female mosquito bites the human skin, and injects saliva. The saliva contains various proteins that prevent the blood from clotting, as well as proteins that keep the blood flowing into the mosquito's mouth. Many of the mosquito saliva proteins can cause immune reactions, including allergic reactions. Typically, however, most people have a variety of reactions to mosquito bites, and the symptoms change over time, depending on the amount of bites a person received. These reactions can include both immediate and delayed swelling and itching around the bite area. These reactions tend to decrease in frequency after being bitten by mosquitoes over many years.
| Rashes After Lake Swimming
Summer vacation brings to mind all sorts of great outdoor activities - from camping at the lake or trips to the beach, the warm summer months lead to water activities, such as swimming in the lake, surfing in the ocean or waterskiing in the river. Unfortunately, many people will experience an itchy skin rash after aquatic sports. There are many causes of itchy rashes after swimming, including insect bites, cold urticaria and many causes of sun allergy after a day in the sun. Microscopic organisms cause two special types of itchy rashes after swimming, one from exposure to freshwater (lakes, ponds, rivers and streams), the other from saltwater (the ocean).
| Poison Oak, Ivy and Sumac
Many of us have come into contact with poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac at one time or another. Maybe this exposure came as a result of hiking or camping, or from trying to get the backyard weeds under control. Of course, there's a chance that we might not remember when we actually came into contact with these plants, but we certainly can't forget the itchy rash that came as the result. Plants from the Toxicodendron family are the most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis, and include poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. Coming into contact with these plants results in the deposition of oils from the leaves onto the skin, which can cause an itchy rash consisting of a linear, or streak-like group of blisters or bumps.
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