Contact Dermatitis

What is contact dermatitis❓ 

 Inflammation of the skin caused by contact with a specific substance 🔥

 Substance can be an irritant (something that irritates the skin) or an allergen (something causes an allergic reaction) 

What are the symptoms of contact dermatitis❓ 

 Redness, stinging/ burning, dryness, tightness of the skin (irritant) 🔥

 Itchy red skin, with/without scales or blisters (allergic) 

How do you diagnose contact dermatitis❓ 

 Having classical symptoms 

 Physical examination 

 Patch test: small amounts of different substances applied to skin, to check for allergy 

How do you treat contact dermatitis❓ 

 Avoid the irritant/allergen ❌ 

 Moisturisers 

 Steroid creams/ ointments 

Why should I worry about contact dermatitis❓  

 Infection of the skin (impetigo or cellulitis) 

 Discomfort and loss of sleep