Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.

Responsive image


Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis rash.
SpecialtyDermatology

Contact dermatitis is a type of acute or chronic inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to chemical or physical agents.[1] Symptoms of contact dermatitis can include itchy or dry skin, a red rash, bumps, blisters, or swelling. These rashes are not contagious or life-threatening, but can be very uncomfortable.

Contact dermatitis results from either exposure to allergens (allergic contact dermatitis), or irritants (irritant contact dermatitis). Allergic contact dermatitis involves a delayed type of hypersensitivity and previous exposure to an allergen to produce a reaction.[2] Irritant contact dermatitis is the most common type and represents 80% of all cases.[1] It is caused by prolonged exposure to irritants, leading to direct injury of the epidermal cells of the skin, which activates an immune response, resulting in an inflammatory cutaneous reaction.[1] Phototoxic dermatitis occurs when the allergen or irritant is activated by sunlight. Diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis can often be supported by patch testing.[3]

  1. ^ a b c Bains, Sonia N.; Nash, Pembroke; Fonacier, Luz (2019-02-01). "Irritant Contact Dermatitis". Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology. 56 (1): 99–109. doi:10.1007/s12016-018-8713-0. ISSN 1559-0267. PMID 30293200. S2CID 52931782.
  2. ^ Cohen, David E.; Heidary, Noushin (September 2004). "Treatment of irritant and allergic contact dermatitis". Dermatologic Therapy. 17 (4): 334–340. doi:10.1111/j.1396-0296.2004.04031.x. ISSN 1396-0296. PMID 15327479. S2CID 42322170.
  3. ^ Mowad CM (July 2016). "Contact Dermatitis: Practice Gaps and Challenges". Dermatologic Clinics. 34 (3): 263–267. doi:10.1016/j.det.2016.02.010. PMID 27363882.

Previous Page Next Page