Contact dermatitisis an itchy, blistering skin rash typically brought on by skin’s direct contact with a substance.
In allergic contact dermatitis, common allergens include nickel,adhesives, plants, cosmetics, and topical medications.
Common Causes
Obviously, finding what is triggering your contact dermatitis is essential to avoiding reactions.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
These are the most frequent irritants and allergens.
Nickel
Nickelis the most frequent cause of allergic contact dermatitis.
Between 8% and 11% of women have this allergy.
Other metals can also cause allergic contact dermatitis, including cobalt and chromium salts.
The hands are the most likely body part to be affected by contact dermatitis.
The rash from these plants results in a linear, or streak-like group of itchy blisters or bumps.
The chemicals released from the plants, called urushiols, are what cause dermatitis.
Urushiol can be carried on the fur of animals, garden tools, sports equipment, and clothing.
The smoke from burningToxicodendronleaves can also carry urushiol.
Elements of other plants related toToxicodendronmay contain urushiol and cause contact dermatitis as well.
These include mangoes (skin), cashew nuts (oil), and gingko leaves.
Patch testing is not necessary forToxicodendronplants since this diagnosis is made with a consistent history and physical examination.
Patch testing may be performed in dermatitis sparked by these plants.
Fragrancesappear to be an important and common cause of contact dermatitis.
Rashes can appear on the neck in a pattern consistent with product tool.
Patch testing with a fragrance mix can help identify the cause and provide important information on avoidance.
Hair productsare another common cause of contact dermatitis.
Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), found in some products, may be the culprit.
Topical Medications
Numerous topical medications can result in contact dermatitis when applied to the skin.
This may be due to the metal in the gear itself or acrylic glues used with such hardware.
Some fragrance-sensitive people may react to citrus fruits or certain spices.
While some genes have been proposed as increasing your risk, there are no definitive culprits.
Be sure to wear protective clothing or gloves whenever you handle cleaning products or other chemicals.
Learn to recognize poison oak, ivy, and sumac so you’re free to avoid them.
Be sure to make a list of what you suspect when you see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
Theevaluation for contact dermatitisincludes patch testing and your history of exposure to various chemicals.
It may also burn, itch, or cause pain.
For more serious cases in which OTC treatments are not helping, a prescription corticosteroid or phototherapy may help.
Most cases of contact dermatitishealwithin about three weeks.
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