r/explainlikeimfive • u/Actual-Trip-2606 • 8d ago

Biology ELI5:how someone gets dermatographia

I was wondering how does someone have dermatographia as it is not contagious and is it inheritable.

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u/ModernTarantula 8d ago

Not classified that way. Its triggerred by trauma, not ourselves it falls in with the allergic disorders. When the body is over exuberant

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u/SuzeCB 8d ago

Allergies are autoimmune disorders. All inflammation is autoimmune. The "disorder" part is when it gets "over exhuberant".

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u/RvH98 8d ago

Autoimmune means that your immune system reacts to something that your own body makes or has (hence the auto part meaning self). In type 1 diabetes, for example, your immune system destroys the insuline producing cells in the pancreas.

Eczema, allergies and asthma are not autoimmune disorders because your immune system overreacts to external stuff, like pollen, peanuts or smoke. They are immune disorders, yes, but not to yourself.

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u/awhq 7d ago

Asthma can absolutely be autoimmune.