As it was mentioned before, contact dermatitis is caused by a direct contact to skin irritating and allergy-causing materials, such as strong cleansing measures, soap, deodorants, clothes, shoes, formaldehyde or other chemicals, also rubber, latex, metals (especially nickel, jewelry, parfume, plants, medical ointments (antihistamines, antiseptics, antibiotics). Some other materials might irritate skin and cause allergies at the same time.
Contact dermatitis symptoms
Skin redness or inflammation, rashes, itching skin, its dryness and scaling in the area of a contact with an irritator are characteristic to contact dermatitis. Usually, the infringement range is clear. At first, skin tends to become reddish, swells, soame rashes or blisters appear. Later, blisters disappear, skin becomes dry, scales and might even crack. There are two types of contact dermatitis - irritant and allergic. Irritant contact dermatitis is caused by a recurrent contact with a skin irritating material. Allergic contact dermatitis is determined by an organism reaction to allergens.
Allergic contact dermatitis causes
Small amounts of allergens can cause allergic contact dermatitis and skin irritating materials have influence only when affect for a longer period of time. If skin redness or inflammation occurs everytime after a contact with a certain material, most probably a patient is allergic to that irritant. Once the allergy reveals itself, a patient becomes allergic for the rest of his/her life.
Some materials cause allergic dermatitis only in the sun’s light (it is called a photocontact dermatitis). Photocontact dermatitis can be influenced by shaving lotions, sun protection creams, parfume etc. Allergic contact dermatitis symptoms match the sypmtoms of contact dermatitis - itchiness, skin redness, swelling, blisters, skin scaling and cracks, burning sensation, pigment spots.
35% of people in Europe suffer from allergic diseases. Although various clinical trials are conducted, more effective medicine is produced, scientists and doctors agree that the basis of an allergy treatment consists of limitation of the contact with allergens and the reduction of allergens in home environment.
Some certain factors in allergic contact dermatitis treatment are very important:
- clarification of an allergen and its removal,
- reduction of an inflammation (oral and lubricated corticosteroids),
- maintenance check-up of secondary infection (antibiotics),
- the reduction of itchiness (antihistamines),
- regeneration of the protective skin function (emollients).
Allergic contact dermatitis usually goes away in 3-4 weeks after the removal of an irritant. It is very important to regenerate the epidermal barrier function as in the cases of dermatitis skin’s protective function is damaged. Emollients, hydrogels, creams of various consistency, ointments should be used in this case. They protect skin from dryness and unwanted environmental impacts. In more serious cases treatment for dermatitis includes antibiotics, corticosteroids. Irritant contact dermatitis treatment is very similar. The purpose of it is to remove an irritant.
Dermatitis treatment will be in vein, if certain actions after the treatment will not be taken. For maintenance check-up avoid allergy-causing factors. Usually, at work or home our hand skin suffers the most. A good care, moistening maintains skin elasticity. Any housework should be done wearing gloves, hands should be washed by using non-alkaline soaps. Have a shower in a warm, but not hot, water, moisturize the skin right afterwards.
