Contact Dermatitis

A person develops contact dermatitis when something that touches the skin does one of the following:

• Irritates the skin
• Causes an allergic reaction

Anyone can develop contact dermatitis. Your risk factor may be increased if you are in regular contact with an irritant or allergen, or if you already have allergies to certain substances, such as plants, chemicals, or medications. People working in certain professions have a higher risk. Sometimes this is referred to as occupational dermatitis. It is important to know that the more you come in contact with a substance, the more likely you are to develop an allergy to it and for it to be the cause of allergic contact dermatitis.

When signs and symptoms do appear, you may have:

• Itchy skin, which can be intense
• Rash, including red, swollen, hot skin
• Excessively dry skin
• Burning
• Stinging
• Hives, which are round welts on the skin that itch
• Fluid-filled blisters
• Oozing blisters that leave crusts and scales

If exposure to the allergen continues, your skin may:

• Flake and crack
• Become scaly
• Darken, thicken, and feel leathery

To diagnose this common skin condition, dermatologists:

• Examine your skin and the developing rash
• Review your medical history
• Ask questions about your lifestyle to determine what may be causing the rash

If your dermatologist suspects that you have an allergy, patch testing may be recommended. A patch test involves applying panels to your skin that contain small amounts of possible allergens for a period of time. After this time, the patches are removed to inspect the skin for reactions. Relevance must be kept in mind when considering the results of a patch test. For instance, if the substance a patient reacts to is not something they come in contact with regularly, it is not likely to be the source of the contact dermatitis.