Symptom guides
Plain-English help for making sense of a skin reaction: what it might be, how to narrow down the cause, and what to do next. These guides help you spot patterns and decide when something is worth a doctor's visit. They are educational and do not diagnose.
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Baby's Skin Reacting to Wipes? What to Check
Redness or a rash around the nappy area or face after using wipes can point to a wipe ingredient. Here is what to look for, how to narrow it down, and when to see your GP or health visitor.
Cracked, Itchy or Sore Hands: What Could Be Behind It
Dry, cracked, itchy hands are usually irritant-driven, from washing, wet work and products. Here is how to tell what is going on, how to settle them, and when to see a GP or dermatologist.
FoodDelayed Hives Hours After a Meal
Hives that appear well after eating, not straight away, point to a slower kind of trigger. Why the delay happens, what tends to cause it, and how to track it down.
FoodDelayed Skin Reactions to Food: Why They Happen Hours Later
Not every food reaction is immediate. Some show on the skin hours later, which makes them hard to pin down. Why the delay happens, what tends to cause it, and how to catch the culprit.
FoodEczema That Flares After Certain Foods
When eczema worsens after eating, food may be one of its triggers, though rarely the only one. How to spot a genuine food link, what tends to be involved, and when to seek help.
Face Stinging or Burning From Moisturiser: Why and What to Do
A moisturiser that stings is sending a signal. Here is the difference between a compromised skin barrier and a true ingredient reaction, how to narrow it down, and when to see a GP or dermatologist.
FoodFlushing After Eating: What It Can Mean
Sudden redness and warmth in the face after food, drink or additives has several possible causes, from histamine to sulphites to spicy food. How to read your own pattern, and when to get checked.
FoodFood-Driven Hives vs a Contact Rash: How to Tell Them Apart
A reaction you ate and a reaction you touched can look similar but behave differently. The clues that separate food-driven hives from a contact rash, and when to get help.
Itchy Hands After Wearing Rubber Gloves: What Might Be Causing It
If your hands itch, redden or blister after wearing rubber gloves, the gloves themselves are a prime suspect. Here's how to tell which part is the problem.
Itchy or Blistered Feet From Your Shoes: What Could Be Causing It
A rash on the tops or soles of your feet that matches where your shoes sit often points to a contact allergy in the footwear itself. Here's how to narrow it down.
Itchy Rash After a Sticking Plaster? Suspect the Adhesive
A red, itchy patch shaped like the sticky part of a plaster is a classic sign of adhesive allergy, often to colophonium. Here is how to confirm it and what to use instead.
Itchy Scalp After Shampooing: What Might Be Causing It
If your scalp itches, tingles or flakes after washing, your shampoo or conditioner is a prime suspect. Here is how to work out which ingredient, what to try, and when to see a GP or dermatologist.
FoodItchy Skin After Wine or Beer
If a glass of wine or a beer leaves you itchy, flushed or covered in hives, histamine and sulphites are the usual suspects. What is behind it, and how to find the drinks that suit you.
Itchy Skin or a Rash After Showering: What Could Cause It
If your skin itches or flares after a shower, the water temperature, your products or your routine could be to blame. Here is how to narrow it down, what to try, and when to see a GP.
FoodItchy Skin or Flushing After Oily Fish: Histamine and Scombroid Explained
Hives, flushing or itching soon after eating tuna, mackerel or sardines often points to histamine in the fish rather than a classic fish allergy. Here's how to tell, and what helps.
Lips Burning, Stinging or Peeling From Lip Balm?
When the balm meant to soothe your lips makes them worse, an ingredient is often to blame. Here is what to suspect, how to narrow it down, what to try instead, and when to see a GP or dermatologist.
FoodOral Allergy Syndrome: Itchy Lips and Mouth After Raw Fruit
Itching or tingling of the lips and mouth after certain raw fruits, vegetables or nuts is often oral allergy syndrome. What it can feel like, what causes it, how to narrow it down, and the warning signs that need help.
Rash or Stinging From Sunscreen: Causes and What to Switch To
Sunscreen is essential, but for some skin it brings a rash or a sting. Here is what tends to cause it, how to narrow it down, how to find an SPF that suits you, and when to see a GP or dermatologist.
Rash Under Jewellery, Watches or Fasteners? Nickel Is a Common Cause
An itchy rash exactly where metal touches your skin is a classic sign of nickel allergy. Here is how to recognise the pattern, reduce contact, and when to see a GP or dermatologist for patch testing.
FoodRed Cheeks in Children After Sweets: What It Can Mean
Flushed cheeks or a rash in a child after brightly coloured sweets often points to artificial colours or preservatives. What tends to cause it, how to test it gently, and the signs that need a doctor.
Red, Itchy or Flaky Eyelids: Common Causes to Consider
Eyelid skin is the thinnest on the body and quick to react. Here is what often causes red, itchy or flaky eyelids, how to work out the trigger, and when to see a GP or dermatologist.
Red, Itchy Underarms After Deodorant: What Might Be Behind It
If your underarms sting, redden or itch after applying deodorant, the product is a prime suspect. Here is how to work out which part, what to try instead, and when to see a GP or dermatologist.
Skin Reaction to Perfume: Why It Happens and What to Do
A rash, itch or redness where perfume touches skin is common. Here is what might be going on, how to confirm it, how to keep wearing scent more safely, and when to see a GP or dermatologist.
Sore, Peeling Mouth After Brushing: Could It Be Your Toothpaste?
If your lips or the inside of your mouth go sore, peel or sting after brushing, your toothpaste is a prime suspect. Here is how to work out which ingredient.
FoodTingling Lips After Fruit: What It Usually Means
A tingle or itch in the lips after raw fruit is often a mild, pollen-linked reaction. What is happening, which fruits tend to do it, how to narrow it down, and the warning signs that need attention.
FoodWelts After a Takeaway: The Usual Culprits
Hives after a takeaway often point to additives or high-histamine ingredients rather than a single food allergy. What tends to be behind it, how to narrow it down, and when to get medical help.
Why Is My Skin Reacting to a New Product? How to Work It Out
Red, itchy or stinging skin after trying a new product? Here's how to narrow down what's causing it, without panicking, and when to get it checked.