Usually, dermatitis or eczema implies an inflammatory condition of the skin. Sometimes, it may be in an unusual or localised distribution. Then, it is known as contact dermatitis or contact eczema. This particular condition occurs due to an exposure to something in the surroundings.
If you have a dermatitis and have no family or personal history of atopic disease, one of the environmental agents may be the probable cause. These agents can be allergens (causing allergic reaction or hypersensitivity) or irritants (causing direct irritation) in your environment.
How do you get contact dermatitis?
Irritants are chemicals such as solvents, soaps, bleach, and detergents. They remove the natural oils in the skin and lead to an inflammation, if you expose to them repeatedly without proper skin protection. This is referred to as the irritant contact dermatitis. It mainly occurs on the hands. The quantity of the irritant, which the person is exposed, is a significant factor in leading to the contact dermatitis or eczema. Irritant contact dermatitis can occur in any person. It is somewhat common in individuals, who do plenty of wet work. Therefore, people, who work in the catering services and bars, hairdressers, housewives, mechanics, cleaners, and nurses are more prone to get the irritant contact dermatitis.
Allergens are chemicals, things, or micro-organisms, which can trigger an immunological reaction called an allergy. Once you have been exposed to a chemical substance, your immune system can develop an allergic reaction, causing an inflammation of the skin. Repeated exposure to the substance leads to an allergic contact dermatitis. However, only some individuals, who are exposed to the allergen, develop this condition while some do not. This process is poorly understood. Allergic Contact dermatitis occurs in up to four per cent of the population. Many substances can lead to this condition. However, nickel (in buckles and cosmetic jewellery), perfume (in air fresheners and cosmetics), chromate (in cement), rubber, preservatives, and plants (like primula or Compositae) are common.
Occasionally, ingredients like proteins in meat, fish, vegetables and fruit can lead to a sudden allergic reaction. It causes skin swellings with itching called hives (contact urticaria). Any allergic reaction can worsen your existing dermatitis. Contact eczema or dermatitis cannot be got from or spread to others.
Individuals, who already have hay fever, bronchial asthma, or eczema, are more prone to get irritant contact dermatitis compared to other people. This trend tends to appear in all or many members of a family.
Symptoms
Urticaria (itching) is the common feature, which may be intense. Occasionally, the affected area of the skin can be painful. If you have contact dermatitis in the hands, you may get aching cracks on the backs of your fingers.
Contact dermatitis mainly arises on arms, hands, legs, and face. Active areas of the contact dermatitis have an intense inflammation, which causes reddish and scaly skin. Occasionally, the affected skin contains small blisters, which leak watery fluid once scratched. When the inflammation is less, the skin appears dry and thick, and aching tiny cracks can build over the joints.
Diagnosis
Your physician will ask about your occupation, hobbies, cosmetics, creams, clothing, and contact with chemicals. A history of exacerbations of dermatitis in the workplace is usually suggestive of contact dermatitis.
Allergic contact dermatitis can be diagnosed by a method called patch testing, which is available in dermatology departments. They will put sticky patches, which contains different allergens on the back. After two days, a patch test nurse or the physician will examine your back to find out which patches have led to reactions. They will re-examine the back following an additional 48 hours to check if there are more reactions.
Irritant contact dermatitis can be diagnosed by understanding which irritant chemical substances you are exposed to, and how frequently it happens.
Management
If you have an irritant contact dermatitis, you should considerably lower your contact with the particular irritant. Then, the condition will clear or improve gradually.
If the patch testing implies that you are sensitive to a particular allergen, you should avoid the contact with that allergen as much as possible. It will result in a significant improvement or even full recovery.
Sometimes, you may need to wear protective clothing like gloves and boots, or in severe instances even change your hobbies or occupation.
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