Topical antihistamines are products that have been manufactured for use on the skin, in the nose, or in the eye. They contain antihistamines which are medicines that block histamine release from histamine-1 receptors and are used to treat the symptoms of an allergic reaction such as edema (swelling), itch, inflammation (redness), sneezing, or a runny nose or watery eyes.
Nasal and ocular topical antihistamines may be used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (hay fever). Topical antihistamine creams may be used to relieve pain and itching due to insect bites, minor cuts and burns, and to resolve rashes due to an allergy or plants such as poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac. Some topical antihistamines may also be used in the treatment of atopic dermatitis or lichen simplex chronicus.
