Overview :
Contact Dermatitis is a skin rash caused by contact with a certain substance.
The substance might irritate the skin or trigger an allergic reaction. Some common culprits include soap, cosmetics, fragrances, jewellery and poison ivy.
Contact dermatitis is a rash on your skin that develops when you come into contact with something you’re allergic to or something that irritated your skin. The rash can swell and be itchy and uncomfortable. Avoiding what caused your rash helps prevent it from returning.
Contact dermatitis is your skin’s reaction to something in your environment that causes an itchy rash. “Dermatitis” is the medical term for skin irritation or swelling (inflammation). You get contact dermatitis by coming into contact with a substance, organism, object or chemical that’s irritating to your skin.
Contact dermatitis can affect anyone at any age, from a baby to an adult. Skin reactions can occur after a single exposure or after repeated exposures over time.
People who work in certain professions have a higher risk of developing contact dermatitis if they repeatedly encounter irritating chemicals or allergens. Professions at a high risk of developing contact dermatitis include Construction workers, Florists, Food handlers, Hairstylists, Healthcare providers, Janitors and plumbers, Mechanics, Artists.
Symptoms of contact dermatitis :
✓ Red to purple or darker than your natural skin tone.
✓ Swollen, hive-like or elevated from the skin surrounding it.
✓ Bumpy with a small cluster of pimples or blisters.
✓ Oozing fluid or pus.
✓ Painful with a burning or stinging sensation.
✓ Flaky or scaling skin.
✓ Itchy skin.
Causes of contact dermatitis :
Physical contact with an allergen or an irritant causes contact dermatitis.
If your body doesn’t like something that touches your skin, your immune system responds. When you see your skin swell or become inflamed, that’s a sign that your white blood cells are responding to the allergen or irritant, which can cause an itchy rash. The rash may appear in minutes if it’s caused by an irritant, or may take hours or days to appear after exposure to an allergen.
Allergic contact dermatitis causes :
• Plants or parts of a plant (botanicals), like poison ivy.
• Skin care products with fragrances.
• Metals, such as nickel.
• Medications, including antibiotics.
• Preservatives or chemicals.
• Irritant contact dermatitis causes
Irritant contact dermatitis causes :
• Acids.
• Cleaning products.
• Body fluids, including urine and saliva.
• Plants, like poinsettias and peppers.
• Hair dyes.
• Nail polish remover or other solvents.
• Paints and varnishes.
• Soaps or detergents.
• Resins, plastics and epoxies.
Know about all type of allergies :