If you are wondering “What is dermatographism?” , one clue is that lines, writing or drawing can appear on the skin. This is a form of chronic urticaria that causes people to be sensitive to touch, pressure, and scratching. When the skin is scratched it becomes a raised, red, itchy rash. People with true dermatographism have pressure as the only stimulator for their symptoms. Children who suffer from dermatographism are sometimes mistaken for victims of abuse if the welts linger. This is because a doctor, teacher, or aw enforcement agent might see the welts and think that they are the result of injuries inflicted by someone else.  
 
In some forms of dermatographism, symptoms appear within a few minutes of stroking the skin with an object, and the rash goes away without treatment within an hour. Other forms of dermatographism, like delayed pressure urticaria, are accompanied by a burning sensation and pain that can last for hours after the pressure was applied. No one knows why dermatographism happens. It’s possible that this is a true allergy, and that the allergic antibodies that are in the body are causing this reaction. However, it is unknown what the antibodies are fighting against.
 
Dermatographism is diagnosed by stroking the skin with an object, such as a pen. Delayed pressure urticaria is diagnosed a weight is placed on the skin for a certain period of time, when the area becomes swollen and red for a few hours and possibly lasting for days. Some people are not particularly bothered by their dermatographism, and thus, no treatment is necessary. For those looking for relief, symptoms can be reduced with various antihistamines. Some people find their dermatographism annoying or painful, in which case antihistamines may be prescribed to counteract the mast cells and make the welts less common and less noticeable. Certain sedatives also appear to be effective in handling this condition. Some people take hydroxaine or zyrtec to help with itching and inflammation. For those looking for natural solutions a reader told me that acupuncture helped her. Kids like to show it off at school so it’s good to get a new perspective when you feel frustrated and in touch with your inner child.