<p>Curious how allergy medicine works? The main active ingredient is antihistamines, which “work by reducing histamine levels in your body which is a chemical released by allergy (mast) cells in response to an allergen,” says Dr. Parikh.<br></p><p>This phenomenon causes allergy meds to work almost instantly. “Oral antihistamines can begin working 20 to 180 minutes after ingestion, while nasal steroids work best when used daily,” says Rabia Chaudhry, MD, an allergist and immunologist at South Florida Food Allergy Center. (You can take antihistamines daily, too, BTW.)</p><p>Some people even give allergies a one-two punch, but talk to your doctor before combining medications: “It’s not uncommon for a patient with severe allergies [to take] daily nasal steroids and oral antihistamines,” says Dr. Chaudhry.</p><p>One thing to note: If you’re having any breathing symptoms like coughing, wheezing, dyspnea, chest tightness, or any symptoms below the chest, do <em>not</em> treat this with an over-the-counter allergy medicine (including pseudofed and decongestants like oxymetazoline), Dr. Parikh says. Instead, seek medical attention because this could be asthma and symptoms such as these can be life threatening, she adds.</p><p><em>WH</em> narrowed down the best expert-approved OTC allergy medicines to choose from. </p><p class=”body-tip”><strong>Meet the experts:</strong> <br><br><a href=”https://clinicianresources.bcm.edu/people/profile/1468/” target=”_blank”>Evan Li, MD</a>, is an assistant professor of medicine, immunology, allergy, and rheumatology at the Baylor College of Medicine. <br><br><a href=”https://nyulangone.org/doctors/1629212592/purvi-s-parikh” target=”_blank”>Purvi Parikh, MD</a>, is an allergist with <a href=”https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/” target=”_blank”>Allergy & Asthma Network</a>. <br><br><a href=”https://southfloridafoodallergycenter.com/about/” target=”_blank”>Rabia Chaudhry, MD</a>, is an allergist and immunologist at <a href=”https://southfloridafoodallergycenter.com/” target=”_blank”>South Florida Food Allergy Center</a>.</p><p class=”body-text”> </p>” />
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2
Best Non-Drowsy OTC Allergy Medicine
Allegra Adult 24-Hour Allergy Tablets
2
Best Non-Drowsy OTC Allergy Medicine
Allegra Adult 24-Hour Allergy Tablets
Both Dr. Li and Dr. Parikh say that Allegra—or its generic form, fexofenadine—is a winner. Allegra is an antihistamine that helps tackle symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, and an itchy nose or throat.
| Type | Tablet |
|---|---|
| Active Ingredient(s) | Fexofenadine |
| Ages | Adults and children ages 12 and older; if over 65, ask your doctor |
3
Best OTC Allergy Medicine For Pollen Allergies
Flonase Flonase Allergy Relief Spray
3
Best OTC Allergy Medicine For Pollen Allergies
Flonase Flonase Allergy Relief Spray
Flonase is a steroid nasal spray that helps keep your body from overreacting to allergens like pollen. After reading the Quick Start guide, just use one or two sprays in each nostril daily to clear up symptoms. Dr. Li recommends combining it with Allegra for maximum benefit.
| Type | Spray |
|---|---|
| Active Ingredient(s) | Fluticasone propionate |
| Ages | Adults and children ages 12 and older |
4
Best OTC Allergy Medicine For Kids
Claritin 24-Hour Allergy Chewables
4
Best OTC Allergy Medicine For Kids
Claritin 24-Hour Allergy Chewables
Now 12% Off
Pros
- Non-drowsy
- Chewable
- Provides 24-hour relief
Cons
- May not work for severe allergies
Unfortunately, kids aren’t spared from allergies. Dr. Parikh says an OTC medication like Claritin for Kids can work great. It’s not a bad idea to check in with your child’s pediatrician first, though, just to make sure it won’t interact with any other medications they may be taking.
| Type | Chewable |
|---|---|
| Active Ingredient(s) | Loratadine |
| Ages | Adults and children ages two and older; if under two, ask your doctor |
5
Best Nasal Spray OTC Allergy Medicine
Nasacort 24HR Allergy Nasal Spray
5
Best Nasal Spray OTC Allergy Medicine
Nasacort 24HR Allergy Nasal Spray
Nasacort offers 24-hour relief from those pesky allergy symptoms, specifically in the nose, like congestion, sneezing, and a runny or itchy nose. It’s also non-drowsy, scent-free, and alcohol-free—and Dr. Parikh is a fan.
| Type | Spray |
|---|---|
| Active Ingredient(s) | Triamcinolone acetonide |
| Ages | Adults and children ages two and older |
6
Best Prescription Strength OTC Allergy Medicine
Xyzal Allergy Tablet
6
Best Prescription Strength OTC Allergy Medicine
Xyzal Allergy Tablet
Now 35% Off
Xyzal, a.k.a. levocetirizine, “is the best prescription-strength oral antihistamine,” Dr. Li says. It helps with sneezing, a runny or itchy nose or itchy throat, and watery eyes. It starts working within an hour to give you fast relief from allergy symptoms, but you can take it at night to make sure the pollen symptoms don’t hit you first thing in the morning.
| Type | Tablet |
|---|---|
| Active Ingredient(s) | Levocetirizine dihydrochloride |
| Ages | Adults and children ages six and older; if over 65, ask your doctor |
7
Best OTC Allergy Medicine Eye Drops
Zaditor Antihistamine Eye Drops
7
Best OTC Allergy Medicine Eye Drops
Zaditor Antihistamine Eye Drops
Struggling with itchy, watery eyes? Just one drop of Zaditor, expert-approved by Dr. Parikh, will provide up to 12 hours of relief. It purportedly starts working in minutes, whether your eyes are watering from pet-related allergies or being outside.
| Type | Eye Drop |
|---|---|
| Active Ingredient(s) | Benzalkonium chloride |
| Ages | Adults and children ages three and older |
8
Best Nighttime OTC Allergy Medicine
Benadryl Antihistamine Allergy Relief Tablets
8
Best Nighttime OTC Allergy Medicine
Benadryl Antihistamine Allergy Relief Tablets
Now 26% Off
Pros
- Ideal for nighttime relief
- Easy to swallow
- Offers multi-symptom relief
Cons
- Not good for daytime use
It can be tough to get to sleep when your allergy symptoms are really bad. Benadryl can give you relief and help you drift off. “Generally, the most popular antihistamine for sleep aid is diphenhydramine—Benadryl—which is the active ingredient in many nighttime formulations of cold and cough remedies,” Dr. Li says.
| Type | Tablet |
|---|---|
| Active Ingredient(s) | Diphenhydramine hydrochloride |
| Ages | Adults and children ages six and older |
9
Best Natural OTC Allergy Medicine
Boiron AllergyCalm Tablets
9
Best Natural OTC Allergy Medicine
Boiron AllergyCalm Tablets
Now 16% Off
Pros
- Homeopathic
- Non-drowsy
- Effective for indoor and outdoor allergies
Cons
- Not regulated by the FDA
Hundreds of Amazon reviewers swear by this medicine for natural allergy relief. AllergyCalm uses ingredients like histaminum hydrochloricum and ambrosia. Just keep in mind that homeopathic medications aren’t regulated by the FDA the same way other medications are. And according to Dr. Parikh, “AllergyCalm is a mix of herbs which do not have any data that show they work in treatment of allergies, so I do not recommend it as the first line [of] treatment,” she says.
| Type | Tablet |
|---|---|
| Active Ingredient(s) | Allium cepa, ambrosia artemisiaefolia, euphrasia officinalis, histaminum hydrochloricum, sabadilla, and solidago virgaurea |
| Ages | Adults and children ages two and older (if under two, ask your doctor) |
10
Best OTC Allergy Medicine For Pet Allergies
Claritin 24-Hour Allergy Medicine
10
Best OTC Allergy Medicine For Pet Allergies
Claritin 24-Hour Allergy Medicine
Now 43% Off
Pros
- Offers 24-hour relief
- Non-drowsy
- Works for indoor and outdoor allergies
Cons
- Not as aggressive as other allergy medicine, some reviewers say
Claritin—aka loratadine—is said to provide relief of symptoms that can be triggered by more than 200 different allergens, including pets, pollen, dust, and mold. Dr. Parikh backs this medicine, since it’s a 24-hour histamine with barely any side effects.
| Type | Tablet |
|---|---|
| Active Ingredient(s) | Loratadine |
| Ages | Adults and children ages six and older (if under six, ask your doctor) |
11
Best OTC Allergy Medicine For A Runny Nose
Flonase Sensimist Allergy Relief Spray
11
Best OTC Allergy Medicine For A Runny Nose
Flonase Sensimist Allergy Relief Spray
“The benefit of a nasal steroid is that it is not a systemic medication,” says Dr. Chaudhry. Since the whole body is not being affected, this 24-hour relief nasal mist has fewer side effects and gets right to the problem, she explains.
| Type | Spray |
|---|---|
| Active Ingredient(s) | Fluticasone furoate |
| Ages | Adults and children ages 12 and over |
12
Best OTC Allergy Medicine For Itchy Skin
Allegra Allergy 24-Hour Gelcaps
12
Best OTC Allergy Medicine For Itchy Skin
Allegra Allergy 24-Hour Gelcaps
Pros
- Non-drowsy
- Relieves indoor and outdoor allergies
- Offers multi-symptom relief
Cons
- Larger pills
Allegra Gelcaps, a type 1 histamine blocker, work best for skin symptoms, according to Dr. Chaudry. These fast-acting capsules are said to offer 24-hour non-drowsy relief and start working within an hour to help control all itch receptors in the skin.
| Type | Gelcap |
|---|---|
| Active Ingredient(s) | Fexofenadine |
| Ages | Adults and children ages 12 and older; if over 65, ask your doctor |
How Our Team Chose The Best Over-The-Counter Allergy Medicines
For the past two years, Women’s Health editors and writers, including Korin Miller, Andi Breitowich, our editorial assistant Addison Aloian, and senior commerce editor Neha Tandon, have researched the bestselling, most popular, most reviewed, and top-rated over-the-counter allergy medicines. Our team consulted experts Evan Li, MD, Purvi Parikh, MD, and Rabia Chaudhry, MD to narrow down the best 12 items for a wide range of allergy needs and preferences.
What should I look for in an OTC allergy medication?
There are certain ingredients that you should look for when you’re reading labels. If you’re shopping for an OTC allergy medication in pill form, you want to “look for ingredients that indicate there are antihistamines,” Dr. Li says. Here’s a list of active ingredients to search for:
- cetrizine
- levocetrizine
- fexofenadine
- diphenhydramine
- lortadine
For nasal sprays, you’ll want to look for steroids. “These are generally the most effective nasal sprays and do not cause rebound nasal congestion,” Dr. Li says. (Rebound nasal congestion or rebound rhinitis, ICYMI, is when the lining inside your nose becomes inflamed after using certain medications like decongestants for too long.) Instead, Dr. Li recommends keeping an eye out for these ingredients:
- fluticasone
- mometasone
- triamcinolone
Pro tip from Dr. Parikh: “Avoid anything with decongestants, because they can make symptoms worse and have side effects.” Some of them include habit forming and an increased blood pressure and heart rate. If you feel like you really need to use a decongestant, it’s important not to do it for more than three days in a row. Otherwise, you run the risk of rebound congestion, Dr. Li says.
What is the best type of OTC allergy medicine for pollen?
It usually depends on the individual, Dr. Parikh says, so it’s tough to recommend a general OTC allergy medication for pollen. Flonase, for instance is “good to try first,” she says. “But remember you need to do it for six to seven days minimum for it work,” so adding in a 24-hour antihistamine tablet at same time or an antihistamine nasal spray while waiting for it to work is helpful.
You can also check out the other suggested allergy medicines above, as they’re expert-approved.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based writer and graduate student at Northwestern Medill. She’s a mass consumer of social media and cares about women’s rights, holistic wellness, and non-stigmatizing reproductive care. As a former collegiate pole vaulter, she has a love for all things fitness and is currently obsessed with Peloton Tread workouts and hot yoga.
Addison Aloian (she/her) is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health. When she’s not writing about all things pop culture, health, beauty, and fashion, she loves hitting leg day at the gym, shopping at Trader Joe’s, and watching whichever hockey game is on TV. Her work has also appeared in Allure, StyleCaster, L’Officiel USA, V Magazine, and Modern Luxury Media.
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