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Contact dermatitis is an inflammation of the Skin that results from direct contact with certain substances, such as soap, cosmetics, jewelry or weeds, including poison ivy or poison oak. The resulting red, itchy rash isn't contagious or life-threatening, but it can be very uncomfortable.
Successful contact dermatitis treatment consists primarily of identifying what's causing the inflammation. Then, if you can avoid the offending agent, the rash usually resolves in two to four weeks. Self-care measures, such as wet compresses and anti-itch creams, can help soothe your skin and reduce inflammation.
Signs and symptoms of contact dermatitis include:
In contact dermatitis, only the areas of skin exposed to the offending substances react. The area with the greatest exposure reacts most severely.
Based on the cause, contact dermatitis falls into two categories: irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. Irritant contact dermatitis is more common of the two.
The cause of contact dermatitis is direct contact with one of many irritants or allergens. These include:
Some substances are both allergens and irritants. Examples include ingredients in soaps, detergents and some cosmetics.
It takes a greater amount of an irritant over a longer time to cause dermatitis than it takes for an allergen. If you're sensitized to an allergen, just brief exposure to a small amount can cause contact dermatitis. If re-exposure to a substance always results in dermatitis, then this substance is more likely an allergen than an irritant. The allergen might be something that you had been in contact with for years without trouble until now. Once an allergy has developed to a specific substance, however, it remains for life.
Some substances only cause dermatitis when they contact skin exposed to sunlight (photocontact dermatitis). Typical examples include shaving lotion, sunscreens, ointments containing sulfa drugs, some perfumes and coal tar products. Other causes of contact dermatitis may be airborne, such as ragweed pollen and insecticide spray.
Occupational contact dermatitis occurs when a person is exposed to allergens or irritants on the job. Frequent exposure to water, friction, chemicals, fuels, dyes, cleaning agents, industrial solvents or dust (for example, cement dust, sawdust or paper dust) can lead to contact dermatitis.
See your doctor if:
Your doctor may diagnose contact dermatitis after talking to you about your signs and symptoms and examining your skin. If the cause of your rash isn't apparent or if your rash recurs often, your doctor may recommend a patch test (contact delayed hypersensitivity allergy test).
During a patch test, small quantities of potential allergens are applied to small patches, which are then placed on your skin to check for a reaction. The patches remain on your skin for two days before being evaluated by your doctor. If you're allergic to a particular substance being tested, you develop a raised bump or a reaction limited to the skin just beneath the patch.
Prolonged itching and scratching may increase the intensity of the itch, possibly leading to Neurodermatitis (lichen simplex chronicus). Neurodermatitis is a condition in which an area of skin that's frequently scratched becomes thick and leathery. The patches can be raw, red or darker than the rest of your skin. Persistent scratching can also lead to a bacterial skin Infection and permanent Scars or changes in skin color.
Contact dermatitis treatment consists primarily of identifying what's causing your irritation and then avoiding it. If this is done, it may take two to four weeks for the rash and irritation to clear up.
In mild to moderate cases, self-care measures, such as using creams containing hydrocortisone or applying wet dressings, can help relieve redness and itching. In severe cases, oral corticosteroids and antihistamines may be necessary to reduce the inflammation and relieve the intense itching.
Preventing contact dermatitis means avoiding coming into contact with those substances such as poison ivy or harsh soaps that may cause it. Prevention strategies include:
Prolonged itching and scratching may increase the intensity of the itch, possibly leading to neurodermatitis (lichen simplex chronicus). Neurodermatitis is a condition in which an area of skin that's frequently scratched becomes thick and leathery. The patches can be raw, red or darker than the rest of your skin. Persistent scratching can also lead to a bacterial skin infection and permanent scars or changes in skin color.
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