How to get rid of dermatographia?

Do you constantly feel like a human Etch-A-Sketch? Are people always asking you why your skin is covered in weird lines and shapes? Well, my friend, you may have dermatographia. But fear not, because I’m here to give you some tips on how to get rid of it (or at least make it less noticeable).

What Even Is Dermatographia?

Before we dive into the ways to combat dermatographia, let’s first talk about what it is. Essentially, dermatographia is a skin condition where even the slightest scratch or pressure on your skin causes raised red lines or welts. Think of it as having temporary hives whenever something rubs against your skin.

Embrace Your Inner Goth

If there’s one thing goth kids know how to do well, it’s cover up their imperfections with dark clothing and makeup. And hey, if black eyeliner can hide the fact that we’ve been crying all day over our exes again, then surely it can help conceal those pesky red marks too!

Pro tip: If someone asks you why you’re wearing long sleeves and pants even in 90-degree weather just tell them “I don’t believe in showing skin” with a straight face.

Experiment With Essential Oils

Okay hear me out… essential oils are basically magic potions for everything from anxiety relief to curing acne (allegedly). So why not try slathering some lavender oil onto your skin before bed every night and see if that helps calm things down?

Disclaimer: This tip has no scientific backing whatsoever but hey if you end up smelling nice that’s still a win right?

Invest In Some Hypoallergenic Everything

If avoiding triggers sounds like wayyy too much effort then maybe just buy everything hypoallergenic instead? That means your laundry detergent, your lotion, your shampoo… everything. Sure, you might end up smelling like a newborn baby but at least you won’t be covered in red welts!

Hot tip: Make sure to also change out of sweaty clothes ASAP since dampness can exacerbate dermatographia symptoms.

Channel Your Inner Vampire

Ok stick with me here because this one requires getting a little weird. Have you heard of something called “Autologous serum skin testing”? Basically it involves taking some blood from yourself and then re-injecting it into your own skin to see if that helps fight off the hives. It’s kind of like becoming a vampire except instead of drinking human blood we’re just injecting our own.

Personally, I’m not brave enough to try this one but hey if you do let me know how it goes?

Cold Water Is Your Friend

Sometimes all we need is some good old fashioned cold water therapy (just ask Wim Hof). So when your skin starts acting up try splashing some ice cold water on it or even taking an icy shower if you dare. You might be surprised at how much relief it brings!

Avoid Stress Like The Plague

We all know stress is bad for us in general but did you know that stress can also trigger episodes of dermatographia? That’s right folks – the more stressed out we are the more likely our bodies are going to freak out too.

So next time someone tells me to just “relax” I’ll remind them that there are actual skin conditions preventing me from doing so thank-you-very-much.

Scratching Is NOT The Answer

It may seem counterintuitive but scratching those raised marks will only make things worse (shocking I know). Not only could scratching cause breaks in the skin leading to infections but it could also provoke more histamine release making those hives angrier and more persistent.

Do NOT scratch no matter how tempting it may be.

But Wait, There’s More!

If none of these tips sound appealing to you then fear not because there are plenty more options out there! Some other dermatographia remedies include:

  • Antihistamine medications (over the counter or prescribed)
  • Avoiding tight clothing that rubs against your skin
  • Cool compresses on affected areas
  • Phototherapy (aka exposing your skin to certain wavelengths of light)

Whatever route you decide to take just know that there is hope for those with dermatographia!

Conclusion

In conclusion my fellow Etch-A-Sketch humans, having dermatographia can definitely put a damper on our confidence and comfort levels but it doesn’t have to rule our lives completely. By trying out some of the above tips and tricks we can hopefully find some relief from all those red welts and lines.

And at the very least, we’ll have an excuse to wear all black everything every day… right?

Random Posts