Skin irritations are very common if you're allergic to soy beans. The Cleveland Clinic states that common symptoms of a soy allergy include skin irritation, tingling in the skin, eczema and hives. If you notice that you develop skin irritations after you consume products that contain soy, you should eliminate soy from your diet until you can be seen by your doctor. A soy allergy is a serious medical condition that can lead to complications. Skin irritations may be a sign of anaphylactic shock, a rare but deadly reaction.
Skin Irritations
Skin irritations from a soy allergy will appear within moments of consuming a product that contains soy. Soy is a by-product of soy beans that is widely used in processed foods, such as processed meats, bread products and canning. Minor skin irritation may cause your skin to become itchy or tingling in your face or other areas of your body. Moderate to severe skin irritations may include hives or eczema. Hives can occur in any person, while eczema is a pre-existing condition.
Hives
Hives are pale, itchy, pink, localized swellings that form within a few minutes of eating a food that you're allergic to, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Hives can burn, itch or sting and commonly develop in groups that are defined by distinctive borders. Hives are caused by plasma leaking through gaps in the cells linings. During a soy allergy, your body releases histamine, a chemical that causes irritation in your blood vessels that leads to hives.
Eczema
Eczema is a pre-existing condition that causes hypersensitivity in the skin. If you've been diagnosed with eczema, an allergic reaction to soy can trigger the skin irritation. Common symptoms of eczema, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, include blisters that ooze or crust, skin coloring changes, raw areas of the skin, ear bleeding, skin inflammation and leathery patches of skin.
Treatment
Skin irritation from a soy allergy is most effectively treated by avoiding products that contain soy. The federal government requires that all packaged foods place a warning label on any product that contains the top seven allergens, including soy. If you accidentally consume soy proteins, you can use hydrocortisone cream or corticosteroid creams to reduce the inflammation and irritation, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Take an oral antihistamine to prevent further production of histamine, the chemical that causes swelling and irritation in the skin from a food allergy.
