General Information

• During your allergy assessment your doctor will ask several questions about your reaction to determine if there is an underlying allergy
• The skin prick test (SPT) helps confirm the presence of an allergy to things such as foods, pollens, animals and medications
• SPT is the most common allergy test performed in an allergy clinic by specially trained allergist - It is a simple, safe and quick test, providing results in 15 minutes
• One week before the appointment, you / your child need to avoid antihistamines such as Benadryl, Reactine, Claritin, Aerus and Allegra because these medications will interfere with the test
• Many cough medications and decongestants also have antihistamines and should also be stopped one week before the appointment
• If antihistamines are not stopped one week before the appointment the SPT may not be done - The test can be performed on all ages including babies
• The number of tests will vary depending on the suspected allergy, as few as 3 or up to 15 - 20 tests may be performed
• Two control samples are included to make sure that the test has worked :
  • One control will cause an itchy bump in all people
  • The other control is water and should not cause an itchy bump

Skin Prick Test Procedure

• The test is performed on the inside of the forearm but in some cases it may be carried out on another part of the body such as the back
• The steps for the SPT include the following:
  • Cleaning the skin with an alcohol swab
  • A pen or marker will be used to label the skin and identify the allergens to be tested
  • Tiny liquid drops will be placed on the skin
  • The skin is then pricked through the drop using a metal device called a lancet (this is not a needle)
  • The doctor or nurse will return in 15 minutes to interpret the test
• The test may feel a little sharp but is generally not painful and does not cause any bleeding - Any allergies will cause a localized red bump that is itchy and usually appears within 5 to 15 minutes
• The bumps will be measured with a ruler by the doctor or nurse
• These itchy bumps usually go away within 30 minutes
• The test is very safe in most people but certain people may not be suitable for the SPT such as those with active wheezing. Your doctor will decide if it is safe to do the test 

Medications to avoid before skin testing

Some medications can interfere with skin testing.

One week before your appointment, please STOP all antihistamines including:

Rupatadine (Rupall)

Bilastine (Blexten)

Cetirizine (Reactine)

Desloratadine (Aerius)

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

Fexofenadine (Allergra)

Hydroxyzine (Atarax)

Loratadine (Claritin)

Dimenhydrinate (Gravol)

Oral decongestants that contain antihistamines

You may CONTINUE to use the following nasal sprays prior to your appointment Beclomethasone Budesonide (Rhinocort) Ciclesonide (Omnaris) Fluticasone (Flonase) Fluticasone furoate (Avamys) Mometasone (Nasonex) Saline sprays / nasal rinses Triamcinolone (Nasocort)

You may CONTINUE to use the following asthma medications prior to your appointment Beclomethasone (Qvar) Budesonide (Pulmicort) Budesonide / formoterol (Symbicort) Ciclesonide (Alvesco) Fluticasone (Flovent) Fluticasone / salmeterol (Advair) Fluticasone furoate / vilanterol (Breo) Mometasone (Asmanex Twisthaler) Mometasone / formoterol (Zenhale) Montelukast (Singulair) Salbutamol (Ventolin) Terbutaline (Bricanyl)

You may CONTINUE to use other medications that you have been previously prescribed

Please bring a list of all current medications