Itchy Skin Rahes in 20 year old

Dear Ask The Doctor: I have been getting itchy rashes, and swelling on various parts of my body for the past week, and I'm not sure how this happened. Some background information. I am a healthy 20 year old, exercise at least an hour a day, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, sleep 8 hours a night. Please tell me what can be causing this insane itchiness, redness, and swelling on various parts of my body. Any feedback will be most welcome. Thank you.

Dear Ekim: Itchy skin rashes in your age group are most commonly a sign of an allergic reaction but infectious diseases must also be considered.

The allergic reactions are often from something new that you have ingested or something new that is in your environment (pollens, chemicals, soap, detergents, fragrances, clothing fabrics).   To complicate matters, you may have also become newly allergic to something you previously had no reactions to when being exposed.

If this continues, it mat be helpful to keep a diary of daily activities and exposures to see if the offending allergen can be identified.

Allergic rashes respond well to over the counter benadryl, taken as prescribed and prescription relief is available from your doctor if benadryl fails to provide the desired results within a short period of time.