Medical Check-ups care in South Africa
Hospitals, clinics and medical centers in South Africa performing Allergy Skin Test.
Key planning information for allergy skin test in South Africa.
Allergy Skin Test in South Africa is priced per case at 4 hospitals. Each hospital quotes its own price for your case.
Allergy Skin Test is listed by 4 hospitals in South Africa. The order reshuffles every hour so each gets equal exposure.
Hospital GroupLife Healthcare is a leading private hospital operator in South Africa and primarily serves the market for privately insured individuals, representing approximately eight million people. The group provides mainly acute care, high technology private hospital services.
Hospital GroupNetcare Group provides innovative, quality healthcare in South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Private HospitalNelson Mandela Academic Hospital is a large Provincial government funded hospital situated in central Mthatha in South Africa. It is a tertiary teaching hospital and forms part of the Mthatha Hospital Complex.
Private HospitalThe extensive hospital network includes 64 hospitals (of which 57 are majority owned by Life Healthcare and another seven in which the group holds substantial minority ownership), providing a range of healthcare services throughout South Africa.
An allergy is what occurs when you react to things like cat’s fur or pollen that don’t affect most people. An allergic reaction is what happens when you come into contact with something that you are allergic to (an allergen). Anaphylaxis occurs when an allergic reaction is very severe.
This is a test conducted to investigate what you are allergic to and how the allergy is characterized. Usually, you are tested with 10-50 different allergens.
How is an allergy skin test done?
10-50 various allergens are placed on a part of your body in children, usually the back and in adults, it is on the forearm. After about 15 minutes the skin is observed for any red lumps. Your skin may itch where the allergens are placed.
The test is usually done in the doctor’s office. The test typically takes 20 -40 minutes. Some test results in immediate allergic reactions while others develop over a period of days.
Skin prick test
It is also known as a scratch or puncture test. This test checks for immediate allergic reactions to many different substances at once. The test is usually done to identify allergies to mold, dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and foods.
The test is not painful and there is no bleeding but it may cause some discomfort. The needles barely penetrate the skin. The test site is cleaned with alcohol. The nurse draws small marks on your skin and a drop of allergen extract is applied next to each mark. A lancet is then used to prick the extracts into the skin surface. A new lancet is used for each allergen.
After cleaning the test site with alcohol, the nurse draws tiny marks on your skin, and then he/she applies a drop of allergen extract next to each mark. He or she then uses a lancet to pierce/prick the extracts into the skin's surface. A new lancet is used for each allergen. To see if your skin is having normal reactions two more substances are scratched into your skin’s surface:
15 minutes after the skin pricks the nurse will observe your skin for any signs of allergic reactions. A red, itchy bump develops on areas with substances that cause allergic reactions. The nurse will measure the bumps size.
Skin injection test
This is an intradermal test that injects a small allergen extract into the skin of your arm. This test may be recommended to check for allergies to penicillin or insect venom.
Inform your doctor of all medicines that you are taking.
You should not take antihistamines for 3-7 days before the test. Ask your doctor when to stop taking them.
Key facts to plan your treatment: how long it takes, your hospital stay, anaesthesia, risks and recovery.
Common questions
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