| Contact dermatitis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Contact dermatitis rash. | |
| Specialty | Dermatology |
Contact dermatitis is a type of acute or chronic inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to chemical or physical agents.[1] Symptoms of contact dermatitis can include itchy or dry skin, a red rash, bumps, blisters, or swelling. These rashes are not contagious or life-threatening, but can be very uncomfortable.
Contact dermatitis results from either exposure to allergens (allergic contact dermatitis), or irritants (irritant contact dermatitis). Allergic contact dermatitis involves a delayed type of hypersensitivity and previous exposure to an allergen to produce a reaction.[2] Irritant contact dermatitis is the most common type and represents 80% of all cases.[1] It is caused by prolonged exposure to irritants, leading to direct injury of the epidermal cells of the skin, which activates an immune response, resulting in an inflammatory cutaneous reaction.[1] Phototoxic dermatitis occurs when the allergen or irritant is activated by sunlight. Diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis can often be supported by patch testing.[3]
- ^ a b c Bains, Sonia N.; Nash, Pembroke; Fonacier, Luz (2019-02-01). "Irritant Contact Dermatitis". Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology. 56 (1): 99–109. doi:10.1007/s12016-018-8713-0. ISSN 1559-0267. PMID 30293200. S2CID 52931782.
- ^ Cohen, David E.; Heidary, Noushin (September 2004). "Treatment of irritant and allergic contact dermatitis". Dermatologic Therapy. 17 (4): 334–340. doi:10.1111/j.1396-0296.2004.04031.x. ISSN 1396-0296. PMID 15327479. S2CID 42322170.
- ^ Mowad CM (July 2016). "Contact Dermatitis: Practice Gaps and Challenges". Dermatologic Clinics. 34 (3): 263–267. doi:10.1016/j.det.2016.02.010. PMID 27363882.