Rashes can be embarrassing, especially if they develop on your face or other obvious places. If you're skin rashes are the result of a soy allergy, you can manage and prevent rashes from developing. Soy allergies are incurable, but you can prevent your symptoms by eliminating soy from your diet. Soy allergies are mostly common among young children, but MayoClinic.com states that they are becoming more common among adults in the United States. An allergic reaction to soy will cause more symptoms than just a rash. All symptoms need to be evaluated by your doctor.
What is Soy?
Soy is made from soy beans. Soy beans are considered a legume, in the same family as peanuts, beans and lentils. Soy is now used in many processed foods, such as lunch meats, chocolate and ice cream. Obvious products that contain soy are soy sauce, tofu, miso and soy milk. Soy oil does not contain soy proteins and may be safe for people with a soy allergy, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Soy may also be used in some medications and cosmetics that can trigger an allergic reaction.
Rash Cause
All skin rashes are the result of inflammation, swelling and irritation of the skin. When you eat soy, your immune system overreacts to the proteins found in the soy and causes the production of various chemicals in your body. The one chemical that can trigger common allergic skin rashes is histamine. When histamine is released near the surface of your skin, it causes irritation and can disrupt your skin's normal balance. This can cause the development of general itching, eczema or hives.
Types
After you eat soy, you may notice the development of a rash within a few minutes on your face, hands or legs. General itching or a burning sensation is a common symptom of a skin allergic reaction that may not cause the skin to become inflamed. If you've been diagnosed with eczema, a soy allergy can trigger a flareup of this skin rash. Eczema is a chronic condition that develops in early childhood but can last a lifetime. This rash forms as tiny blisters that cause the skin to break, weep and crust over.
Hives
Hives are a rash that is common with a food allergy. Hives can appear anywhere on your body and cause severe itching. They develop as welts in clusters that can migrate and change shape. Treat hives by applying a topical antihistamine or taking an oral antihistamine to reduce the amount of histamine your mast cells are producing.
