Dermatologist: Be wary of this disease. The next day, the whole body was red, swollen and itchy. A 26-year-old woman made her own low-fat skin whitening water.

Autumn is approaching, and various homemade “DIY waters” have become popular online recently, such as “whitening water,” “antioxidant water,” “slimming water” and so on. However, can drinking homemade water really achieve the effect? After Ms. Su, a citizen, drank homemade "low-fat and high-protein muscle-building water", she developed symptoms of acute urticaria such as sausage mouth, facial redness and swelling, and itching all over the body, and had to stop work and seek medical treatment.

What is acute urticaria? Why do such symptoms occur after drinking homemade water? Pan Zhanyan, deputy chief physician, and Ju Qiang, chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, provided relevant answers.

Ms. Su, 26, woke up one day and was shocked by the almost "disfigured" condition in the mirror: there were flaky red spots all over her body, her lips were swollen into "sausages," and she was itchy all over her body. After a dermatology visit, she was diagnosed with acute urticaria. After careful questioning about her condition, the attending doctor believed that her illness was related to her drinking of homemade "low-fat, high-protein muscle-building water."

It turned out that she heard that homemade water can "whiten" the inside from the inside out. Ms. Su specially bought a mixture of protein powder, almond powder, fruit and vegetable powder, and made a full 500 ml of "low-fat and high-protein muscle-building water". "Instead of dinner, in order to strengthen the whitening, she also specially added almond powder. On the night of drinking, Ms. Su found bumps and bumps on her body, but she could bear it until she was woken up by itching the next morning.

After a comprehensive allergen examination, the doctor determined that Ms. Su was allergic to almonds. It was the patient's large dose of almond powder that induced acute urticaria.

Urticaria, commonly known as "urticaria", is an edema reaction of the skin and mucous membranes caused by the dilation of small blood vessels in the skin. It is the most common skin allergic disease, affecting about 15% to 25% of people at least once in their lives.

Pan Zhanyan introduced that acute urticaria refers to an acute attack of urticaria, which is characterized by sudden large-scale edema and skin bulges throughout the body. After edema occurs in the visceral mucosa, symptoms of anaphylactic shock such as palpitation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and even dyspnea and lowered blood pressure may occur. Severe symptoms can be life-threatening. "Acute urticaria has a sudden onset. Once large areas of edema and skin bulging occur throughout the body, please go to the hospital outpatient department or emergency department in time."

Doctors advise that homemade water should not be taken the wrong way, and "home remedies" or "home remedies" should not be trusted. Those who must try it should choose safe, fresh and suitable ingredients, and do not store them for a long time, and make sure there are no symptoms of allergies or discomfort. Before drinking, "you can make a small amount and taste it briefly. If necessary, you can consult a professional nutritionist or doctor first."

Ju Qiang said that, however, the causes of most acute urticaria are difficult to find. Possible causes of urticaria include food and its additives, drug factors, infectious factors, physical factors, animal and plant factors, and mental factors.

Therefore, experts remind that in daily life, you should pay attention to:

First, pay attention to your diet. People who are prone to urticaria should drink more water, eat a light diet, eat more natural foods rich in vitamins C and B, and be careful to eat highly processed foods that contain a variety of food additives and complex and unknown ingredients.

Patients with a long history of allergies can be tested for allergens in the hospital, or they can keep a food diary to look for foods that may cause urticaria. During the onset of the disease, it is forbidden to eat spicy foods and seafood such as fish and shrimp. Spicy foods can aggravate blood vessel dilation, and seafood containing histamine can also aggravate urticaria.

Second, pay attention to drug allergy history. A variety of medications can cause acute urticaria, including antipyretics and anti-inflammatory drugs. People who are prone to allergies should use these drugs with caution. People with a clear history of drug allergies can write down the drugs they were allergic to in the past on the first page of the medical record, so as to remind themselves and the doctor of drug contraindications. During the illness, be cautious about vaccinations.

Third, pay attention to environmental cleanliness and hygiene. Wash clothes, sheets, and quilts frequently and dry them frequently, and clean the floor to reduce dust mites, pollen and other allergens in the environment. People with animal fur allergies should be cautious about raising pets. People with pollen allergies should avoid going out during certain seasons.

Fourth, pay attention to smoking less and prohibit drinking. Tobacco contains a variety of toxic and harmful substances and allergens. Smoking can cause respiratory allergic reactions and aggravate the symptoms of urticaria. Alcohol can directly cause blood vessels to dilate, causing or aggravating the symptoms of urticaria.

Fifth, pay attention to regulating your emotions, exercising appropriately, and getting enough sleep. Emotional stress can cause the release of acetylcholine leading to hives. Continuously stressful work is not conducive to the recovery of urticaria patients. After work, doing something that interests you or listening to music, watching videos, reading books, and meditating can help improve your nervousness.

Appropriate exercise can help regulate personal emotions and improve body resistance, but please note that exercise is prohibited during the onset of urticaria. Excessive exercise can cause exercise-induced urticaria. Insufficient sleep can cause patients to experience fatigue and weakness, reduce immunity and disorder, and make the body more susceptible to allergies. Lack of sleep may also be complicated by other illnesses, such as respiratory infections, which can trigger urticaria.

Ju Qiang said that people who are prone to urticaria include people with allergies, patients with immune system diseases, people with family history, and people with severe mood swings. Anti-allergic drugs with less side effects can be kept at home.

"When the urticaria attack is limited to a certain part of the body, you can take anti-allergic drugs and avoid excessive scratching. It is forbidden to use hot water to relieve itching on the itchy area. Calamine lotion can be applied appropriately on the itchy area. If there are many areas on the body Patients with localized attacks or large-scale attacks on the trunk accompanied by local edema, as well as patients whose rash does not disappear after taking anti-allergic drugs and whose itching severely affects their sleep, should go to the outpatient clinic in time," Pan Zhanyan reminded, if the patient is accompanied by it. If you have fever, gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chest tightness and shortness of breath, please go to the emergency department immediately. “If you experience worsening chest tightness, shortness of breath, laryngeal edema, or difficulty breathing while waiting for treatment, you must promptly inform the clinician and arrange for early diagnosis and treatment.”