Contact dermatitis is a type of eczema triggered by contact with a particular substance. It is an itchy rash caused by direct contact with a substance or an allergic reaction to it. The rash can be red, itchy, and uncomfortable, and it can cause the skin to become dry and irritated. Contact dermatitis often affects skin directly exposed to an offending substance, and it can occur anywhere that your skin came into contact with an allergen or irritant. The most common places that people experience symptoms include the face, neck, scalp, lips, eyelids, cheeks, hands, fingers, arms, genitals, armpits, feet, and legs.
Contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to a substance that irritates your skin or triggers an allergic reaction. The substance could be one of thousands of known allergens and irritants. Often people have irritant and allergic reactions at the same time. Irritant contact dermatitis is the most common type. This nonallergic skin reaction occurs when an irritant damages your skins outer protective layer. Allergic contact dermatitis occurs when a substance to which you're sensitive (allergen) triggers an immune reaction in your skin.
Contact dermatitis can be diagnosed through patch testing, which is a weeklong test performed by dermatologists to assess for allergic contact dermatitis. Treatment for contact dermatitis usually involves identifying and avoiding the substance causing the problem. Treatments are also available to help ease the symptoms, such as creams and ointments to soothe the skin.
