Updated continuously
The Dermatographia Index
Dermatographia statistics and survey data — the Stats page for this site.
What 475 people told us about living with skin writing — severity, triggers, sleep, and what treatment actually does for them.
Key findings
Each statement below is complete on its own, so it can be quoted or cited directly. Figures come from 475 anonymous responses, last updated November 2026.
As of November 2026, the average dermatographia severity score among 475 people who completed the free 12-question self-assessment on Dermatographia.com was 63 out of 100.
69% of the 475 respondents scored in the significant or severe range, and 31% scored mild or moderate.
The most common severity band was significant, reported by 46% of respondents.
58% of respondents said itching disturbs their sleep at least sometimes, making night-time itch one of the most widely reported effects of dermatographia in this sample of 475.
40% of respondents reported that antihistamines give them only partial relief or no relief at all, so a standard daily antihistamine fully controlled symptoms for a minority of this group.
The most common dominant symptom driver was histamine load, identified for 55% of respondents.
The most frequently selected trigger was "Scratching or rubbing", chosen by 37% of respondents.
Most respondents said their welts last 30 to 60 minutes (40%), which matches the short-lived weal pattern described in the clinical literature on symptomatic dermographism.
Source: The Dermatographia Index, Dermatographia.com. Self-reported, anonymous, self-selected sample; not a validated clinical instrument. Reuse permitted under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.
475
People scored
anonymous responses so far
63/100
Average score
69% land in the significant or severe range
58%
Lose sleep to itching
roughly 2 in 3 people are woken by it
40%
Still react on antihistamines
only partial relief, or none at all
How do you compare? Take the 12-question quiz and your score is placed against everyone here.
Get My Dermatographia ScoreHow severe is dermatographia, really?
Severity bands from the 12-question quiz, based on how long marks last, how often they appear, itch intensity, night disruption and treatment response.
- Mild 3% (13)
- Moderate 28% (134)
- Significant 46% (218)
- Severe 23% (110)
69% of people scoring here fall into the significant or severe bands — this is rarely the “mild annoyance” it gets described as.
What changes as dermatographia gets more severe
The same two things get worse in lockstep with severity: sleep, and how much help antihistamines are. Sleep loss rises from 15% in the mild band to 90% in the severe band.
Mild
- Share
- 3% (n=13)
- Avg score
- 24
- Lose sleep
- 15%
- Antihistamines fall short
- 0%
Moderate
- Share
- 28% (n=134)
- Avg score
- 45
- Lose sleep
- 29%
- Antihistamines fall short
- 30%
Significant
- Share
- 46% (n=218)
- Avg score
- 64
- Lose sleep
- 62%
- Antihistamines fall short
- 50%
Severe
- Share
- 23% (n=110)
- Avg score
- 85
- Lose sleep
- 90%
- Antihistamines fall short
- 39%
Raw counts are shown because some bands are small — read the smallest bands as a direction, not a precise figure.
Almost nobody has just one trigger
52% of people select two or more triggers. That is why single-cause advice (“just avoid hot showers”) so rarely works — most people are managing a stack of overlapping triggers at once.
- 48%1
- 13%2
- 12%3
- 13%4
- 9%5
- 5%6+
Triggers selected per person
What drives dermatographia
Each person's answers produce one dominant driver. This is how often each one comes out on top — tap any driver to read more about it.
- 1Histamine load55% (262)
- 2Friction & pressure42% (200)
- 3Stress & nervous system2% (8)
- 4Sleep & recovery1% (3)
- 5Environment & air quality0% (2)
The most common triggers
People can select every trigger that applies, so these add up to more than 100%. Scratching or rubbing tops the list at 37%.
- Scratching or rubbing37% (410)
- Tight clothing & straps18% (198)
- Heat & sweat17% (188)
- Emotional stress15% (168)
- Exercise8% (91)
- Cold air or cold water5% (58)
How long marks last
Most common answer: 30 to 60 minutes.
- 30 to 60 minutes40% (190)
- Under 30 minutes35% (165)
- A few hours14% (65)
- Days6% (30)
- Most of the day5% (24)
How often reactions happen
Most common answer: every single day.
- Every single day63% (297)
- Most days20% (93)
- A few times a week11% (52)
- Weekly or less7% (32)
Nights lost to itching
58% are woken by itching at least some nights.
| Answer | Share | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| Some nights | 46% | 218 |
| Never | 42% | 200 |
| Most nights | 12% | 57 |
How long people have had it
64% have been living with it for two years or more — it is far more often chronic than a passing few weeks.
- 2 to 10 years36% (170)
- More than 10 years28% (132)
- 6 months to 2 years20% (94)
- Less than 6 months16% (78)
What people are using now
Most common approach: one allergy pill a day, normal dose.
- One allergy pill a day, normal dose37% (175)
- Creams or lotions on my skin36% (173)
- An antihistamine only when I react23% (110)
- More than one allergy pill a day20% (96)
- Nothing yet19% (88)
- Cold showers, ice or cool packs18% (84)
- Another prescription from a doctor (steroids, cyclosporine)5% (23)
- A prescription injection like Xolair4% (20)
Where on the body it shows up
Most common answer: basically everywhere. People can pick more than one area.
- Basically everywhere58% (276)
- Torso, chest & back54% (257)
- Arms53% (252)
- Legs49% (231)
- Neck & face42% (199)
- Hands & feet39% (184)
475 people have scored themselves
Collecting responses since August 22, 2026.
Averaging 2.7 responses per day over the last 30 days.
| Month | Responses |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 262 |
| September 2026 | 113 |
| October 2026 | 82 |
| November 2026 | 18 |
Add your data to the Index
Twelve questions, about two minutes, no email. Join the 475 people already in the data — you get a personalized score, everyone else gets a slightly clearer picture of this condition.
Get My Dermatographia ScoreMethodology & limitations
Every figure here comes from the free 12-question dermatographia quiz on this site. Responses are self-reported, anonymous, and collected without names, emails or IP addresses. The severity score is our own composite index built from how long marks last, how often they appear, itch intensity, night disruption and treatment response — it is not a validated clinical instrument and should not be used for diagnosis. Participants are self-selected, so this sample skews toward people actively looking for help. Figures update continuously as new responses arrive.
How to cite this page
The Dermatographia Index. Dermatographia.com. https://dermatographia.com/stats (n=475 respondents, updated continuously).
Free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0). Last updated November 7, 2026, sample size 475. Machine-readable aggregates: index-data.json. Writers can grab quotable numbers and a free chart on the use our data page.