Contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis is a type of eczematriggered bycontact with a particular substance.
Eczema is the name for a group of conditions that cause skin to become irritated and dry.
With treatment, most people with contact dermatitis can expect their symptoms to improve. Some cases willclear up completely.
This topic covers:
Symptoms
When to seek medical advice
Causes
Treatment
Prevention
Other types of eczema
Contact dermatitis causes the skin to become red, blistered, dry and cracked.
This reaction usually occurs within a few hours or days of exposure to an irritant or allergen.
Symptomscan affect any part of the body, but most commonly affect the hands and face.
Read about symptoms of contact dermatitis .
See your GP if you have persistent, recurrent or severe symptoms of contact dermatitis. They can try to identify the cause and suggest appropriate treatments.
Your GP may refer you toadermatologist (a doctor who specialises in treating skin conditions) for further tests if:
Read about diagnosing contact dermatitis .
Contact dermatitis can be caused by:
Contact dermatitis is most commonly caused by irritants such as soaps and detergents, solventsor regular contact with water.
Read about causes of contact dermatitis .
If you can successfully avoid the irritants or allergens that trigger your symptoms,your skin will eventually clear up.
However, as this isn't always possible, you may also be advised to use:
Read about treating contact dermatitis .
The best way to prevent contact dermatitis is to avoid contact with the allergens or irritants that cause your symptoms.
If you can't avoid contact, you can take steps to reduce the risk of the allergens or irritants causing symptoms, including:
Other types of eczema include:
Read about contact dermatitis, a type of eczema that causes inflammation of the skin when you come into contact with a particular substance
Read about the symptoms of contact dermatitis, which include red, inflamed (swollen), blistered, dry, thickened and cracked skin
Read about the causes of contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis occurs when your skin reacts to a particular substance.
Read about diagnosing contact dermatitis. Your GP can usually diagnose contact dermatitis from the appearance of your skin and by asking about your symptoms.
Read about treating contact dermatitis. Treatment can help most people manage their contact dermatitis, and some people may find their symptoms clear up entirely