[ELI5] Why can we gain resistances to medicine, alcohol, poison, etc. but not so much for allergies or pollutants?

Question

[ELI5] Why can we gain resistances to medicine, alcohol, poison, etc. but not so much for allergies or pollutants?

In: 1276

Answer 1

We can gain resistance to allergies. Many people are allergic to cats but they own a cat which they become less allergic to.

Allergy shots work in a similar way by helping your body get used to the allergen. Since it is not a harmful foreign body your immune system learns that it’s not dangerous over time.