ALLERGY SKIN PRICK TESTING
The skin test is a method of measuring the patient's level of IgE antibodies to specific allergens. Using diluted solutions of specific allergens, the physician either injects the patient with the solutions, or applies them to a small scratch or puncture. Reaction appears as a small red area on the skin. Reaction to the skin test does not always mean that the patient is allergic to the allergen that caused the reaction.
The test involves placing a small amount of the suspected allergy-causing substance (allergen) on the skin (usually the forearm, upper arm, or the back), and then scratching or pricking the skin so that the allergen is introduced under the skin surface.
