Contact dermatitis is a rash caused by your skin touching something that irritates it or something you’re allergic to. Most dermatitis is caused by contact with irritating items you use often, such as soaps and cleaning products. It can also be caused by allergy to things like poison ivy, perfumes, certain medicines, or metal in jewelry. Dermatitis can usually be treated at home and with medicines.
What is Dermatitis?
Dermatitis is swollen or inflamed skin caused by touching something. It’s can be caused by directly touching:
Something that irritates your skin, such as a chemical or cleaning product. The product can break through the normal barrier of the skin.
Something you’re allergic to, such as a perfume or poison ivy. This activates your body’s immune system.
Symptoms:
The main symptom of dermatitis is a rash. The skin may be red, chapped, or cracked. It may also be painful and itchy.
If the cause of the rash is an irritating product, it’s most likely to appear on the face (especially the eyelids) or the hands.
If the cause of the rash is an allergy, you may also have swelling or blisters. In severe cases you may have a lot of swelling and oozing blisters. This is common with poison ivy.
When to See a Doctor:
See a healthcare provider if your rash does not get better within 2 weeks, or if it gets worse.
Causes:
The main causes of dermatitis related to irritants include:
Repeated or daily contact with products like soapy water, cleansers, or rubbing alcohol. (Laundry detergents, however, rarely cause dermatitis.)
Some products like bleach or acid can cause severe dermatitis after a single contact.
The main causes of dermatitis related to allergy include reactions to:
The plant oil found in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac
Nickel, a metal used in jewelry
Formaldehyde, found in clothing and nail polish
Fragrances, found in perfume and cosmetics
It’s not always easy to tell what triggered the reaction.
Diagnosis and Tests
Your healthcare provider will look at your rash and ask questions about your activities and medical history. In some cases your healthcare provider might do a skin allergy test to find out if your rash is caused by an irritant or an allergy.
Treatments:
The first step of treatment is to avoid the item that’s causing the rash. For example, wear gloves to protect hands from irritating products, or use unscented lotions.
Other treatments can include:
Protect your hands with thick moisturizing cream.
Using steroid creams or ointments. You can buy hydrocortisone 1% cream without a prescription. Stronger creams require a prescription.
Applying wet dressings to rashes caused by plants. To create a wet dressing, put on a layer of damp clothing so it touches your rash. Then put on a layer of dry clothing over the top. This helps keep the skin from crusting, any can relieve itching and prevent scratching.
In severe cases, a healthcare provider may recommend a prescription medicine.
Prevention
To prevent dermatitis, learn what causes you to get a rash and avoid contact with it.