Introduction
Contact dermatitis is inflammation of the skin that occurs when you come into contact with a particular substance.
It can be caused by:
- an irritant – a substance that directly damages the outer layer of skin
- an allergen – a substance that causes the immune system to respond in a way that affects the skin
Contact dermatitis caused by irritants is more common, causing up to 8 in every 10 cases.
Signs and symptoms
Contact dermatitis is a type of eczema that causes the skin to become red, blistered, dry, scaly and cracked.
This reaction will usually occur with a few hours or days of exposure to an irritant or allergen.
Symptoms can affect any part of the body, but most commonly affect the hands and face.
Seeking medical advice
You should 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.
They can also refer you for further tests to confirm which specific irritant or allergen is causing your symptoms.
How contact dermatitis is treated
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:
- emollients – moisturisers applied to the skin to stop it becoming dry
- topical corticosteroids – ointments and creams applied to the skin that can help relieve severe symptoms
- oral corticosteroids – tablets that can help relieve widespread symptoms
With treatment, most people with contact dermatitis can expect their symptoms to improve, and some cases will resolve completely.
Other types of eczema
Eczema is the name for a group of skin conditions that cause dry, irritated skin. Other types of eczema include:
- atopic eczema (also called atopic dermatitis) – the most common type of eczema; it often runs in families and is linked to other conditions, such as asthma and hay fever
- discoid eczema – a type of eczema that occurs in circular or oval patches on the skin
- varicose eczema – a type of eczema that most often affects the lower legs and is caused by problems with the flow of blood through the leg veins
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