Nourished MedSpa & Wellness Center in Sherman, Texas offers skin prick allergy testing for patients seeking to identify complications that may be in their environment. Though this method uses tiny needles, the good news is that the needles just barely pierce the top layers of the skin. “It’s virtually painless,” Dr. Carter says. Once the skin is cleaned with alcohol, tiny drops of the 70 suspected allergens are placed onto an applicator and pressed into bare skin. The effects both immediate and after a short waiting period are observed.
A positive result will be a red, raised itchy bump that looks the same as a mosquito bite. The patient can take an antihistamine after the results are recorded.
The localized reaction will last depending on how severe your allergies are, but in general it lasts for only a few hours. If the patient develops anaphylaxis, Dr. Carter is onsite to provide emergency medical treatment with a full complement of rescue medications. This kind of severe reaction is extremely rare because of the very small amounts of antigens used.
Allergy testing is used to test for many common allergens including latex, medications, preservatives, hair dyes, fragrances, metals, and certain types of food allergens known to cause skin irritation. You can return to work or other normal activities with no recovery period if you’re asymptomatic.
What to Expect Before Allergy Testing
If you’re considering allergy testing, the first step is to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Carter. At your first appointment, we will go over your medical history and symptoms—sneezing, congestion, autoimmune pain, breathing difficulty, hives, digestive issues—and discuss possible stimuli.
If you are a good candidate for allergy testing, you will get an appointment, and Dr. Carter will give you instructions on how to prepare. This will include determining the area you want tested and the number of potential allergens to be tested.
Our testing evaluates for the following 70 antigens:
| Histamine (positive control) | Shrimp |
| American cockroach | Milk |
| German cockroach | Corn |
| Cat hair | Dust mite, D. farinae |
| Dog hair & epithelia | Bermuda grass |
| Feathers | Timothy grass |
| Cow | Johnson grass |
| Horse hair & dander | Rye grass |
| Dust mite, D. pteroyssinus | Orchard grass |
| Glycerin (negative control) | Kentucky blue/June grass |
| Alternaria alternata | Bahia grass |
| Bipolaris, sorokiniana | Meadow fescue |
| Aspergillus fumigates | Ragweed, short |
| Rhizopus stolonifer | Rough marsh elder |
| Mucor racemosus | Pigweed |
| Penicillum notatum | Kochia (firebush) |
| Pullularia pullulans | Lamb’s quarter |
| Mold mix | Russian thistle |
| Cladosporium herbarum | Prairie sage |
| Mulberry | Sheep sorrel |
| Box elder | English plantain |
| Pecan | Cocklebur |
| Ash mix | Sunflower |
| Cottonwood | Ragweed, giant |
| Sycamore | Nettle |
| Mesquite | Cedar, red |
| Oak mix | Loblolly pine |
| American elm | Maple, red |
| Mountain cedar | Maple, sugar |
| Soy bean | Hackberry |
| Whole wheat | Acacia |
| Peanut | Bayberry |
| Walnut | Tomato |
| Sesame seed | Banana |
| Egg white | Strawberry |
| Egg yolk |
What to Expect During and After Allergy Testing
At your allergy testing appointment, Dr. Carter will prepare the test area by marking it with a numbered grid. Each number corresponds to a specific allergen. The antigens will be prepared using a determined dose of allergy extract, and will be applied with a gentle pressure to their assigned area. If any cause a reaction, a positive allergen result will be recorded.
The results of the testing can be sent to the lab in Oklahoma City to have customized sublingual allergy drops or allergy shots prescribed that can treat the root cause of the allergy.
Is Allergy Testing Right for Me?
- Would you like to find out the source of persistent allergies?
- Are you interested in testing for multiple allergens at one time?
- Would you benefit from a comprehensive allergy treatment plan?
- Are you interested in true immunotherapy solutions?
Schedule Your Allergy Testing Appointment
Allergy testing is designed to determine which of several common allergens are causing your allergy symptoms. Don’t suffer any longer, contact Nourished Medspa and Wellness Center in Sherman, Texas and schedule your initial consultation with us at your earliest convenience.
