And if that wasnt enough, annoyinglittle pustuleswere scattered across my jawline.
To put it bluntly, I was miserable.
But still, I couldnt help but wonder what caused that sudden and unprecedented rash.
Jenna Ryu/Amanda K. Bailey
I hadnt added any new products to my routine, and Im not prone to reactions like that.
Id thought about getting a skin patch test before and knew I probably needed one to get some answers.
So, I reached out to Schweiger Dermatology Group to schedule one.
Heres a day-by-day rundown of the full experienceand what I learned about my sensitive skin.
What does a skin patch test do?
According to Dr. Silverman, this analysis is a great way to identify triggers forinflamed rashescaused byeczema.
So, without further ado, let me walk you through exactly how my patch test went.
My back definitely felt stiff and tight (making it difficult to bend or move freelywhich was annoying).
But the irritation ended up being pretty manageable overall.
Other than that, I sailed through the day feeling like my usual selfexcept for the whole no-showering situation.
But after a few hours of tossing and turning, I eventually drifted off.
(Again, the discomfort was mostly from the tape, not the actual allergens.)
This was the day Id been eagerly anticipating!
That way, wed know which allergen was placed where.
So I was back at square one, wondering what really caused my giantface rash.
As weird as this may sound, I felt a wave of relief after the final appointment.
Deep down, I was never truly convinced that the sesquiterpene lactone mix caused my facial reaction.
Was it worth it?
But knowing what I know now, I would have paid out-of-pocket.
It also wasnt a major time commitment: All three appointments combined took about an hour, max.
Plus the discomfort was minimal, and serious side effects are rare, according to Dr. Silverman.
