Contact Dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is a type of delayed reaction that occurs after an exposure to an allergen or irritating substance. It usually presents as a rash on the skin about 24 to 48 hours after contact but can be delayed even further.

 There are 2 types of contact dermatitis: 

     1) Irritant contact dermatitis: the skin is in contact with an irritating or harmful substance that directly damages skin cells. 

     2) Allergic contact dermatitis: the skin is in contact with a substance that your immune system recognizes and creates an inflammatory reaction to that substance. 

The best way to manage contact dermatitis is by avoidance of the culprit.  This is by far the best treatment and key to preventing contact dermatitis. But many times, a specific culprit cannot be identified. Patch testing may provide some help in identifying which products to avoid.

 If you do have contact dermatitis, based on the severity, your doctor may recommend a steroid cream or other medications.