How long does it take to develop an allergy?

Allergies can be a real pain in the sinuses, especially if you’re one of those people who loves to smell every flower in the garden or indulge in shellfish. But just how long does it take for allergies to develop? This is not exactly pizza science, but let’s get into it.

Allergies – What Are They and Why Do You Get Them?

Before we dive deep into the question at hand, let’s take a moment to understand what allergies are all about. An allergy is nothing but your immune system overreacting to something that it perceives as harmful.

The moment your body detects something foreign inside you (like when Taylor Swift drops a surprise album) , your immune system jumps into action like John Cena and starts producing antibodies called Immunoglobulin E (IgE). These IgE antibodies travel through your bloodstream and bind themselves with mast cells (a type of blood cell).

Now here comes the tricky part: The next time you come across that same allergen – be it pollen, mold spores or dust mites –the IgE antibodies recognize them as hostile invaders (like Thanos saw every Avenger) . In response, these mast cells immediately release chemicals such as histamine which lead to sneezing, itching, hives etc., depending on where this reaction takes place.

Some common allergens include:

  • Pollen
  • Food such as peanuts, eggs etc.
  • Dust Mites
  • Animal Dander
  • Certain Medications

Can One Develop Allergies Later In Life Or Are We Born With Them?

This is quite interesting because there is no easy answer! Tonsils and adenoids filter out airborne allergens,(keep breathing now!) thus infants have commonly been believed safe from hay fever until after age 3–5 years old.They also had previously held that initially, babies who exclusively breastfed were at significantly reduced risk of developing allergies later on compared to those with other feeding methods.

According to the theory known as “The Hygiene Hypothesis”, immune systems are designed to combat harmful pathogens, and exposure to diverse environmental microbes in childhood is essential even if they occasionally cause symptomatic illness. The absence or lack of such challenges may result from growing up in extremely hygienic conditions leads actually makes one more vulnerable!

There has also been some scientific evidence indicating that genetics play a role. This means if your Momma had an allergy there’s an increased chance you might develop it too (blame everything on genes!) . That being said, just because someone is predisposed genetically doesn’t mean he/she will necessarily have the condition; studies have shown only 20-30% of people with allergic parents end up having allergies themselves. So how long does it take for these allergies to manifest fully?

Immediate For Some And Delayed For Others

Allergic reactions can be broadly classified into two categories: immediate and delayed.

Immediate hypersensitivity (type I) which accounts for nearly 80-90% cases. These type I sensitivities occur within seconds-to-minutes after initial exposure depending obviously on individual differences determining sensitivity thresholds pertaining protein level triggers.Clubbed under this include:

  • Food Allergies
  • Hay Fever/Seasonal Rhinitis -caused due specific pollen counts
  • Bee Sting Allergy
  • Drug Reactions/Asthma Attacks
    etc.

Delayed hypersensitivities(which was previously undifferentiated)- bringing out their symptoms add up around hours-even days post-exposure.Some common ones include;

-Tenosynovitis triggered by adhesives in band-aids etc.
-Dermatitis caused via substances like poison ivy etc.
-Celiac Disease-caused upon gluten intake against listed dietary restrictions

Basically,it could take hours-to-days to manifest allergies.

Bottom Line

So how long will it take for you to develop an allergy? There is no definitive answer. For some people, their bodies react almost instantly when exposed to allergens while others may take several days or even weeks (which gives us ample time in PubG!) . If you have a history of allergies in your family, then the odds are higher that you’ll develop one too. Being aware of potential allergens and avoiding them when possible is essential if you want to keep yourself sneeze-free.

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