What is a "skin prick test"?

What is a "skin prick test"?

Harold Kaiser (Practicing Allergist and Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School) gives expert video advice on: When should I see a doctor if I think I have allergies?; Are allergies genetic?; What are the tests to find out if I have allergies? and more...

A skin-prick test and a scratch test are essentially the same thing. The technique may be a little bit different; some people will use a little needle and prick the skin, others may use a little device and scratch the skin, but they're the more sensitive test. If a skin-prick test is not reactive, then an intradermal or injection in the skin is the next stage.