The skin is the outer covering of the human body. The skin is designed to protect the body from foreign objects and substances. The skin is made up of several layers that work to protect the body from a number of infections and diseases.


The skin itself may come into contact with these irritants and substances that can cause health problems. In some cases, the skin may react adversely when there is any sort of contact with these substances. This reaction is usually allergic in nature.


Therefore the answer to what is contact dermatitis is that it is a condition that occurs when the skin reacts to contact with a foreign object or substance.

An allergy is the abnormal reaction of the human immune system. This abnormal reaction occurs when the body comes into contact with a foreign object or such a foreign object is ingested. The body detects the presence of the foreign object and begins to react to it. This reaction mobilizes the cells of the immune system which aggressively attack the area that is exposed to the allergen. This attack can cause serious inflammations to develop in the affected area. If this affected area is the skin, the dermatitis will occur. Dermatitis is a condition where the skin appears red and raised. The rash will also be itchy. In many cases, the rash will be warm or even hot to touch. An interesting thing about allergies is that most of the substances that cause allergic reactions are otherwise harmless to the body. It is only the allergic reaction that actually causes the individual to suffer from symptoms. Some allergens, like poison ivy, are of course poisonous in their own right.

Contact dermatitis usually causes a rash which is itchy and red in nature. The reaction of the skin to the irritant usually occurs quickly. In some cases, the reaction may be delayed, sometimes taking up to 48 hours to register. It is therefore important for the individual to remember what he or she has come into contact with so that the diagnosis of the problem becomes less difficult. Contact dermatitis is slightly confusing in nature because the same individual may react differently to the same allergen at different times. In some cases, individuals with a known contact dermatitis problem associated with some irritant or allergen may display no symptoms to that irritant or allergen because their immune system is not as hyped up. One of the main causes of contact dermatitis refers to any abnormal and aggressive reaction of the immune system. Therefore, individuals who are known to suffer from allergies will be at a much higher risk of developing contact dermatitis. Furthermore, individuals may see a worsening response in their system to the allergen as the number of antibodies in their system increases. Just like with other allergic reactions, there are a number of different factors that determine the ferocity with which the individual will react to a particular allergen.

Contact dermatitis symptoms, as mentioned above, include an itchy, raised, red rash on the skin. In some cases, the itch may spread to surrounding areas of the skin. People with known skin allergy problems may also experience the itch throughout their bodies. In rare cases, contact dermatitis symptoms may include other more serious symptoms such as breathing difficulty. This is particularly true if the individual has come into contact with large quantities of the allergen or if the allergen is also air borne. Once again, those who suffer from other allergies may report with much more severe contact dermatitis symptoms.

The best way to test for contact dermatitis problems is to conduct a skin allergy test. This type of test relies on the application of the allergen to the skin in a controlled manner. If the skin reacts to the substance, then the patient is deemed to be allergic to it. Contact dermatitis treatment is varied depending on the amount of exposure to the substance and on the reaction of the patient. In most cases, contact dermatitis treatment is passive and allows the condition to heal itself. Patients suffering from contact dermatitis should wash the affected area with cold running water. This provides relief from the itching and cools the skin which may be heated during the reaction. The use of water will also wash off any lingering remains of the substance that has caused the allergic reaction in the first place. This is actually a fairly well proven method of contact dermatitis treatment because it reduces the exposure of the skin to the allergen, thus somewhat curing the problem.

Once the itching subsides, the skin condition may remain for a few days, sometimes lasting up to 3 weeks. During any course of the condition, the patient may wish to use creams to reduce the visible effects of the rash as well as the itch associated with it. People who suffer from contact dermatitis may be prone to allergic reactions in general. It is therefore important and highly recommended that the patient does not self medicate in any way. Topical creams used to reduce the effect of the allergy may trigger off some different allergy which his completely counterproductive. It is therefore best to visit a doctor who can prescribe the best contact dermatitis cures based on the patient’s medical history and symptoms.

In some cases, contact dermatitis causes a severe reaction in the patient’s body. If this happens, the patient may need emergency medical care. A visit to an emergency room is needed where the patient will receive contact dermatitis treatment in the form of injections of steroids. These will help to quell the reaction of the immune system and stabilize the patient. Patients who have experienced severe contact dermatitis reactions should avoid situations where they may come into contact with an irritant. Repeat irritant contact dermatitis may cause worse symptoms. If it is absolutely necessary for the individual to visit an area where there is a known trigger for irritant contact dermatitis, he or she must ensure that some form of emergency medication is available within reach so that he or she can avoid serious health hazards.