Skin Prick, Intradermal, and Blended Techniques

Skin allergy testing has evolved slowly over the course of 150 years to become one of the best tools in the Otolaryngologist’s toolbox. It has the power to quickly diagnose allergic sensitization and effectively find safe concentrations of allergen extract to begin immunotherapy treatment. Additionally, it informs the patient on how best to protect themselves from exposure during everyday life. Despite the efficacy and benefit from these techniques, many Otolaryngologists choose not to employee them in their practice, often due to lack of familiarity. It is our effort in this chapter to make the process of selecting the appropriate testing mechanism accessible and provide easy-to-follow instructions on how to safely employ these skin testing techniques.