Skin prick tests

• Skin prick tests are useful to identify allergies to house dust mite, pollens, moulds, pets, penicillin, and foods.
• They can be done in adults and children of all ages, including small infants.
• The test is usually performed on the forearm, but the back may also be used.
• It is not painful and no blood is drawn; a minor discomfort may be felt at the site and it may be itchy for a short while after the test.

How to prepare

• Please let the receptionist know that you are booking an allergy consultation, this allows for the extra time required for performing allergy tests.
• Stop taking any antihistamines for 5 days prior to your appointment (texa, zyrtec, allergex, xyzal, clarityne, deselex, allecet, telfast etc).
• Nasal sprays, asthma inhalers and oral asthma medication may be continued.

What to expect

• In many cases, skin prick tests can be done at the first appointment with results available immediately.
• There are approximately 30 different tests available, however usually only 10-15 are performed at a time, specifically tailored to your symptoms.
• In cases of severe eczema where there is no unaffected skin available, blood tests may be done instead. Alternatively, skin prick tests will be deferred until the skin is clear.
• If blood tests are required, the result may take a few days.

What to bring

• Bring copies of all previous tests done in to compare results
• If you suspect a fresh food as the cause of your symptoms, please bring a small amount of this food with you for the appointment. e.g. fruit, vegetables, prawns,
• If the reaction was due to another kind of food or drug, please bring the container in which the food was purchased in order for the complete list of ingredients to be investigated.