Ever heard of it......?

Have you ever heard of the word dermographism? 

 Well I can tell you that  I sure hadn't until I was for a lack of words "diagnosed" with it when I was a Sophomore in High School.  The break  down of the word literally means "Skin Writing" and if you look at the pictures it is a pretty good definition.  To define dermographism it is:

 "Dermatographic urticaria (also known as dermographism,or "skin writing") is a skin disorder seen in 4–5% of the population in which the skin becomes raised and inflamed when stroked, scratched, rubbed, and sometimes even slapped." 

Yup, apparently I am in that 4-5% of the population.  It is thought to be from an excessive amount of histamine in my skin.   Dermographism was something that I struggled with every day for just over a year or so.  Sometimes they say it goes away, sometimes is stays forever, and  some people have it for a while and then it just flares up again from time to time.... this is me. Well lately I have had a few more issues with it than I have had in a while and late last night I had the biggest "attack" I guess you could say than I have had for years.  It isn't contagious, it doesn't really give any signs that it is coming on but it is the most indescribable feeling.  It is like I absolutely need to itch every inch of my body at once but it is an itch that cannot be scratched.  As soon as I touch my skin it makes it even worse, the doctor that finally figured out what it was my Sophomore year best described it as "being allergic to yourself."  Now this is not a literal definition but by touching your own skin it makes it even worse, it is the pressure of the touch that makes it flare up, not that I am literally allergic to myself.  I am not sure why I am telling you all (who ever you are that actually read this) but since I use our blog as a journal as well I thought that it would be interesting to have a little bit of information about it and a few pictures.  I have only taken a couple pictures of myself.  It is hard to remember to take a picture when I am trying not to scratch myself to death.  These first two images are of me when I was a Sophomore.  The two after that are of some other people also with dermographism.  They however are a little more shall I say creative than I am. 

I know that some of these pictures look fake, but I promise that when I am having an "attack" you can literally write on my skin. Dani used to think that this was hilarious.  I on the other hand was always just trying to make sure I didn't scratch all of my skin off.  Yuck.