What Is Dermatographism: Writing on the Skin
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.
My brother would write on his skin and it was so funny. But it did look like red welts and I think people thought that he may have gotten some home abuse. He took zyrtec for a while because of burning and itching symptoms.
My symptoms can be so irritating and painful.Often, if in public it can be embarrassing.Raised welts on my face by a simple touch can look like some sort of skin disease. Lately, I have what I call a spell.It’s extreme itching as if there are a million fire ants biting me and I can’t stop. A cold shower seems to ease the pain a bit, but not for long.Elavil is the only medication that seems to ease the itching but the side effects from the medicine keep me from being productive for a day or so. I also had non-hodgekins disease five years ago and remember several attacks prior to my diagnosis. I have not had many spells since then until lately. I have no medical insurance and have no idea how to get any other treatment or medical advice.Sometimes it seems to happen when the eather changes a bit and right before bedtime. I will defanately try zyrtec.
I have had dermatographism for about 5 years now, and the only medication that will virtually eliminate all symptoms is Zyrtec (or Zyrtec with the main ingredient, Cetirizine). I just take 10 mg a day, 1 pill, and I am symptom free. If I forget a day, I can definitely feel it coming back. My skin starts to burn and itch uncontrollably. Anyway, try that.
I have dermatographism, & mine has also come in waves or “spells”.
I have the same feeling of beig bitten by fire ants when it is most extreme. I have found that ice helps a great deal to relieve the pain.
I was diagnosed with Lyme disease about 5 years ago, after being bitten by a tick about 12 years prior to the onset of my Lyme symptoms. Durring this time period, I experienced my first attack of dermatographism.
I am curious to know if anyone else has had a similar medical history.
Also, I am an avid marijuana smoker & I quit last year. Dermatographism started again almost immediately when I quit. I started again, it faded. I quit again, & it came back full force 3 days later. I am curious to know if this is affecting my dermatographism.