NY
A female asked:
Are skin prick tests accurate for food allergies?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Gerald Leeanswered
Allergy and Immunology 19 years experience
Yes, for ruling out: Skin prick testing is used to see if you might be at risk of developing hives or anaphylaxis after eating a food. If a skin test is negative, it is unlikely that food is causing that type of reaction. If it positive, you are at higher risk of having hives or anaphylaxis, but there is a chance that it is falsely positive.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A Verified Doctoranswered
23 years experience
Yes, helpful: I agree. Skin prick testing to evaluate for food allergies can be very helpful, and can help direct dietary restriction. It is always used in clinical context to support an adverse reaction to a food. The size of the reaction will indicate the likelihood of an adverse reaction and not if you will have anaphylaxis.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 43-year-old member asked:
My allergies always show up on skin pricks. Can food allergies only be tested with a skin prick and not with a shot?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. Doanh Nguyen, md, faaaaianswered
Allergy and Immunology 16 years experience
Food allergy testing: Food allergy risks can be assessed by either skin or blood test. Each has its pros and cons but they compliment each other. In general skin test for food allergies is good to rule out and blood test is good to rule in. In all cases oral food challenges are the gold standard of food allergy testing. Some types of food allergies are mediated by immune cells and can not be tested by those methods.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Related questions
A 40-year-old male asked:
How accurate are allergy skin prick tests? Are 'true' allergies only manifested by nasal/eye secretions?
Dr. Al Hegabanswered
Allergy and Immunology 42 years experience
Quite accurate: if performed correctly with controls by experienced staff, you don't need to have eye / nose symptoms if you have allergies, asthma is an allergic dis... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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A 38-year-old member asked:
If given a skin test, will reactions from "oral allergies" be the same as a true food allergy?
Dr. Alex Martinezanswered
Specializes in Allergy
No: Oral allergy syndrome refers to itching after eating foods distantly related to airborne allergens. For example, people allergic to birch tree pollen ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Michael P Vaughn commented
Allergy and Immunology 36 years experience
Keep in mind that the detection of food specific IgE by allergy skin test or RAST does not always equate with food allergy. If you can consume a food without developing allergic symptoms then you are not allergic to that food.
Nov 10, 2011
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A 28-year-old male asked:
How many food allergies can be detected by a skin allergy test?
Dr. Ed Friedlanderanswered
Pathology 46 years experience
Be cautious: Skin testing is a minor adjunct to the clinical history. Some people test positive for lots of different foods and restrict themselves unnecessarily. ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. John Chiu commented
Allergy and Immunology 59 years experience
I agree with the caution and would strongly advise anyone told to have a food allergy to confirm it with his allergist. Like every other test in medicine, skin or blood test for allergies require interpretation in the proper context. Test alone does not a diagnosis make.
Jul 2, 2015
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A 40-year-old female asked:
Is a skin test for food allergies reliable? If i've tested negative can I assume that I am safe ingesting all types of foods?
Dr. Cornelia Franzanswered
Specializes in Pediatrics
Yes and no: Yes skin testing is reliable fr acute histamine mediated allergic reactions.
No you may not be safe ingesting all food types as we have other pathway... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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A 42-year-old female asked:
Dr ordered blood allergy tests, but i've read these tests are unreliable. if they show food allergies should i believe it? skin testing is negative.
Dr. William Lagesanswered
Internal Medicine - Rheumatology 70 years experience
Need confirmation: RAST blood tests can be suggestive of some food allergies, but will need to be confirmed by some sort of food challenge to be diagnostic of that food ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Last updated Sep 2, 2015
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