Eczema manifests as sensitive skin with rough, red, and scaly dry patches. The main symptom of eczema is severe itching. When eczema begins in childhood, it is a genetic condition called “atopic dermatitis” (see above).
When eczema occurs on the hands and feet it can look like little blisters that then peel – this form is known as dyshidrotic eczema. Another common form of eczema is known as contact dermatitis. This occurs due to an allergy – typically to a fragrance, preservative, metal, or other strong chemical – and can appear as a well circumscribed area on the skin. Yet another common form of eczema is nummular dermatitis – or “coin” shaped itchy spots.
Often eczema can be attributed to a contact allergy. At Mittal Dermatology we provide extensive patch testing – a type of allergy testing only performed by select dermatologists – to find the culprit of your eczema.
Eczema (also called Dermatitis) is a general term to describe skin inflammation – dry, red, itchy skin. There are many types and causes of eczema. Children often have a type of eczema known as atopic dermatitis. The cause is unknown, but tends to run in families and is often associated with asthma and hay fever. In adults, eczema is often triggered by dry skin. Additionally, some patients present with eczema related to an allergy.
What is atopic dermatitis? Often called eczema or atopic eczema, this is a condition that usually develops by 5 years of age and causes extremely itchy rashes that come and go.
Is atopic dermatitis contagious? No.
Millions live with atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is common worldwide. People of all ages from newborns to adults 65 years of age and older live with this condition. Symptoms range from excessively dry, itchy skin to painful, itchy rashes that cause sleepless nights and interfere with everyday life.
Atopic dermatitis is common
1 in 10 Americans has atopic dermatitis.
In the United States, research indicates that African American and Asian American children develop AD more often than white children.
When a child has deeply pigmented skin, AD tends to be diagnosed later in life. Sometimes, the condition is missed altogether because it’s less noticeable. In brown or black skin, you tend to see gray to violet-brown skin discoloration rather than red rashes.
Common myths often fail to relieve symptoms of AD
If you or your child has been diagnosed with AD, you may have already heard a lot of information about this condition. Dermatologists often find that much of what people know about AD is based on misconceptions. Sometimes, these misconceptions can be harmful.
How many of these following misconceptions have you heard?
Myth: You can get rid of AD by finding and eliminating the one thing causing it. When speaking with parents who have a child with eczema, dermatologists often find that parents want help finding that one food or another allergen causing their child’s eczema. Before seeing a dermatologist, parents often say that they have already experimented with removing different foods from their child’s diet, such as eggs, milk, and nuts.
Fact: Years of research has proven that no one thing causes AD. It’s a complex disease that has no cure.
Removing foods from a child’s diet cannot cure AD, but it can cause health problems. Children need the nutrients in foods, such as eggs and milk, to grow and develop properly.
To provide relief from AD, dermatologists create a treatment plan that uses:
Skin care
Trigger management
Medication or light therapy as needed
Myth: Children outgrow AD. Although it’s true that AD often goes away on its own before a child’s 18th birthday, AD can be a lifelong condition.
Fact: There’s no way to know if a child’s eczema will go away or remain. To prevent AD from worsening and to relieve symptoms, dermatologists recommend treating it.
Myth: To reduce flare-ups, cut back on bathing. Because AD causes extremely dry skin, some people believe they can relieve AD by taking fewer baths and showers. Research shows otherwise.
Fact: Taking a short, daily lukewarm bath or shower helps. Bathing removes bacteria and other germs from the skin, which can reduce skin infections. Many people with AD get skin infections.
Applying a fragrance-free moisturizer to the skin within a few minutes of bathing helps to lock moisture into the skin and reduce dryness.
What’s the difference between eczema and AD?
Eczema refers to a group of conditions that cause inflamed skin. There are many types of eczema. Atopic dermatitis is the most common type.
Other types of eczema include contact dermatitis, nummular eczema, and dyshidrotic eczema. People often say eczema when referring to any one of these conditions.
While AD is only one type of eczema, it can develop on the skin in many ways. You’ll see pictures of AD and the different ways that it can appear at: Atopic dermatitis: Symptoms.
What causes atopic dermatitis?
This is a complex disease. Researchers have discovered that the following likely play a role in causing atopic dermatitis (AD):
Family history of AD, food allergies, asthma, or hay fever
Immune system
Where you live
What you’re exposed to in everyday life, such as stress, pollution, and tobacco smoke
Some people are more susceptible to AD
African American and Asian American children tend to develop atopic dermatitis more often than white children.
Here’s what the findings from these studies show:
AD runs in families: Researchers have found you are more likely to develop AD if blood relatives have (or had) AD, food allergies, asthma, or hay fever. These findings mean that genes are involved in causing AD.
In fact, researchers have found that certain genes affect a part of your skin called the epidermal barrier. This is the outer layer of skin that protects us from losing too much water and prevents germs from getting in through your skin. AD causes gaps in this outer layer, which seem to be inherited just like your eye color.
Researchers have also found that even if you have genes that increase your risk of developing AD, you may not develop AD. What you’re exposed to also affects whether you develop AD.
Where you live: Climate cannot cause AD. However, when a child inherits genes for AD, climate can be a tipping point. Children who have a higher risk of developing AD tend get it more often when they live in a:
High income country, such as the United States
City
Place that’s cold and damp at least part of the year
Mountainous area with low temperatures for at least part of the year
The more traits an area has, the greater the risk of developing AD. For example, if a child has a risk of developing AD and moves from Jamaica to London, the child is more likely to develop AD after moving to London. This large city is often cold and damp.
Living in a warm, humid area seems to decrease the risk of developing AD. Children who live in a rural area also seem to have a lower risk.
Climate may also affect how well treatment for AD works
If you live in a cold and damp climate, treatment for AD may not work as well or work for a while and then stop working.
What you’re exposed to frequently: Like climate, what you’re exposed cannot cause AD. However, if your genes increase your risk of developing AD, exposure to substances that irritate your skin or cause an allergic reaction may lead to AD.
This list of substances is long. It includes tobacco smoke, fragrance found in skin care products, laundry detergent, pollution, and wool clothing.
How your immune system works: AD is also caused in part by your immune system.
Researchers have discovered that in people with AD, the immune system overreacts. This makes the immune system very sensitive. It may react to everyday things, such as pollen and pollution, which leads to flare-ups.
Who gets AD?
AD is common in children. As many as 25% of children in the United States may have AD. Most develop AD by their 5th birthday. Adults also develop AD, but this is less common. Although rare, AD can even start after 60 years of age.
Many children who have AD see the condition disappear by the time they reach 12 years of age. AD can also be a lifelong condition. It’s estimated that 2% to 10% of adults have AD.
Race also plays a role in who gets AD. Asians and blacks are more likely to develop AD than whites. In the United States, African American and Asian American children are more likely to get AD than white children.
If you suspect that you or your child may have AD, it’s important to get diagnosed. Treatment can prevent AD from worsening. Find out how this condition is diagnosed and treated at: Atopic dermatitis: Treatment.
Dermatologists recommend moisturizer for everyone who has atopic dermatitis. Keeping your skin well moisturized helps to prevent cracks and fissures in your skin.
How do dermatologists diagnose atopic dermatitis?
To diagnose atopic dermatitis (AD), a board-certified dermatologist carefully examines your (your child’s) skin and asks questions.
To help ensure that your dermatologist has accurate information, it’s helpful to answer these questions before your appointment:
Do any of your blood relatives have AD, asthma, or hay fever?
What are your symptoms?
When did the symptoms begin?
Where do the rashes appear on the skin?
Providing your dermatologist with this information can be very helpful. AD tends to wax and wane, so you may have clear skin when you see your dermatologist.
A skin exam along with information about your health and symptoms may be all that are needed to diagnose AD. Some people also need a skin biopsy.
Your dermatologist can quickly and easily perform a skin biopsy during your appointment. To do this, your dermatologist will numb and remove a tiny amount of skin. When looked at under a microscope, this can provide valuable information.
Having a skin biopsy can also help your dermatologist select the best treatment.
How do dermatologists treat AD?
This condition cannot be cured, but proper treatment can control it. A treatment plan created by a board-certified dermatologist can help:
Reduce flare-ups
Ease symptoms, such as itch and pain
Prevent AD from worsening
Decrease your risk of developing thickened skin, which tends to itch all the time
Keep your skin moist
Lower your risk of infection
While a dermatologist tailors each AD treatment plan to a patient’s individual needs, most treatment plans include the following:
Skin care: A skin care plan for AD involves:
Bathing
Applying moisturizer
Being gentle with your skin
Your dermatologist will explain how to use baths and moisturizer to help heal your skin.
Trigger management: AD can make the skin very sensitive and very reactive. Things that you come into contact with every day can cause AD flare-ups. Anything that causes AD to flare is known as a trigger.
Everyone has unique eczema triggers, so it’s important to find your triggers and figure out how to avoid them. Common triggers include skin care products, weather (cold or hot), wool clothing, stress, and laundry detergents that contain fragrance.
Your dermatologist can help you figure out what triggers your AD. To learn more about eczema triggers, go to: Eczema triggers.
Medication applied to the skin: Your treatment plan may include medication that you apply to your skin, light treatments, medication that works throughout the body, or some combination of these.
Most people can control AD with medication that they apply to their skin. When this is part of your treatment plan, you may apply one or more of the following:
Applying medication to your skin as directed can improve your skin’s ability to keep out germs and everyday substances that can irritate it. This means fewer flare-ups. The medication should also improve your skin’s ability to lock in moisture, so you’ll have fewer cracks and fissures.
Research breakthroughs are giving patients with AD new ways to treat this condition.
For most people, gentle skin care, trigger management, and medication that you apply to your skin can control AD.
If you have an infection on your skin, your dermatologist will also treat this. To treat an infection, you may need to apply a medication to your skin or take medication.
Some people need stronger treatment for their AD. For these patients, a dermatologist may prescribe phototherapy or a medication that works throughout the body.
Phototherapy: This is another word for light treatments that can safely and effectively treat AD, even in children. Phototherapy works by exposing your skin to ultraviolet (UV) light. It’s given at a dermatologist’s office, hospital, or phototherapy treatment center.
For phototherapy to be effective, you will need 2 to 3 treatments per week for the amount of time prescribed by your dermatologist. For most people, this means going to the treatment center 2 to 3 times per week for a few weeks to a few months.
If you find it difficult to keep your appointments for phototherapy, tell your dermatologist. Don’t try to use tanning beds instead of phototherapy. Phototherapy differs from tanning beds, which pose risks to your health.
Using a tanning bed to treat AD increases your risk of developing skin cancer dramatically. If you use tanning beds before age 35, you can increase your risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by 59%.
Medication that works throughout your body: This may be prescribed to treat widespread AD. Also called “systemic treatment,” this medication works on the immune system and can bring tremendous relief.
To learn more about this type of treatment, go to: When your child needs strong medicine to control eczema.
What is the outcome for someone who has AD?
By partnering with a board-certified dermatologist, you can control AD. With control, it’s possible to relieve the extremely dry skin, alleviate the itch, and reduce flare-ups that lead to rashes.
Sometimes, it takes trying a few different medications or light treatments to find the one that works best for you.
To get the best possible results from treatment, dermatologists also recommend making some lifestyle changes. You’ll find the changes that dermatologists recommend at: Atopic dermatitis: Self-care.
Lifestyle changes that can relieve eczema symptoms
While it can seem that nothing will relieve the discomfort, you can ease symptoms of atopic dermatitis (AD), or eczema. Here are some easy-to-make changes that dermatologists recommend:
Moisturize after bathing and when your skin feels dry. Keeping your skin hydrated helps form a barrier between you and the world. To avoid irritating your skin, use a fragrance-free cream or ointment instead of a lotion.
Choose fragrance-free skin care products. Fragrance can cause an AD flare-up. To avoid this, only use products labeled “fragrance free.” You may see the word “unscented” on a product label. Avoid these, too. Unscented means that the fragrance has been masked. Although you won’t smell the fragrance in an unscented product, a masked fragrance can still trigger a flare-up.
Test all skin care products before using them. Some skin care ingredients besides fragrance can cause eczema to flare. Test new skin care products first by applying to a quarter-sized patch of skin on the inside of your arm every day for 7-10 days. If your skin is clear after that time, you can use the product.
Take short baths or showers to hydrate your skin. Limit your bath to 5-10 minutes and use warm water. When you apply your moisturizer while your skin is still damp after bathing, this helps to lock in the moisture.
Learn what causes AD to flare and figure out how to avoid those triggers. Skin with AD is very sensitive, so many everyday things can cause a flare-up. Finding what triggers your (or your child’s) flare-ups and avoiding them can help reduce flare-ups. You can learn how to find triggers by going to the following page. NOTE: Although the following information is geared to helping parents find childhood triggers, anyone can use these dermatologists’ recommendations to help find their triggers. Eczema triggers.
Wear loose-fitting 100% cotton clothing. Cotton is less irritating and lets your skin breathe. To avoid flare-ups, avoid wearing tight clothing, and never wear wool next to your skin.
Using 100% cotton towels and sheets can also help reduce flare-ups.
Wash clothing in detergent that is fragrance free and dye free. The fragrance and dye can trigger a flare-up.
Do this before wearing new clothing. You can avoid flare-ups from the tags, seams, and finishers in new clothing by:
Washing new clothing before you (or your child) wears it.
Be sure to use a fragrance-free, dye-free detergent.
Buying clothing without tags or removing the tags.
Covering seams that irritate your skin with silk
Protect your skin from extreme temperatures. Cold temperatures can dry your skin, which can make AD flare. When you get overheated and sweat, the sweat can also trigger a flare-up.
Partner with a board-certified dermatologist, who can create a treatment plan that works for you. With eczema-friendly skin care, trigger management, and medication or light therapy as needed, most people can control AD. Dermatologists have experience creating these tailored treatment plans. If you’re unsure how often to bathe, moisturize, or choose products with your eczema, contact your dermatologist.
You can also use a humidifier to prevent dry skin. However, make sure to clean and disinfect your humidifier weekly to prevent the growth of harmful mold and bacteria.
What is contact dermatitis?
When something that touches your skin either irritates it or causes an allergic skin reaction, you develop this skin disease. The first sign is often itchy skin, followed by a rash. You may also see blisters.
Contact dermatitis is not contagious, so you cannot give it to anyone else.
Because so many things can irritate our skin or cause an allergic skin reaction, contact dermatitis sends many people to see a dermatologist.
Dermatologists help their patients to get rid of contact dermatitis by:
Finding out what irritates the skin or causes an allergic reaction
Treating the itchy skin and rash caused by contact dermatitis
Helping their patients avoid what causes the contact dermatitis
Only by avoiding the cause can you get rid of contact dermatitis.
Contact dermatitis from frequent handwashing
You can reduce your risk of developing raw, irritated hands due to frequent handwashing by applying a fragrance-free hand cream after washing your hands and using a hand sanitizer with moisturizer.
While this may sound simple, finding the cause can be a challenge. More than 15,000 things that touch our skin can cause an allergic reaction. Some of the more common ones are fragrance and nickel, which are found in hundreds of products and everyday items. You can get a rash even if you only briefly touch something that causes an allergic reaction. This rash tends to appear hours or days after your skin touches what you’re allergic to.
Some people develop this rash only after sunlight hits their skin. For example, a bartender may squeeze plenty of lemons and limes while indoors and never develop a rash. When that bartender squeezes lemons and limes outdoors on a sunny day, a painful rash and large blisters develop where the sunlight hits the skin coated with juices.
With enough exposure, even everyday things that we touch can irritate the skin. If you dip your hands in water frequently throughout the day or often handle just-caught fish, you can develop an angry, itchy rash.
While some causes, such as exposure to water or handling fish, can be obvious, others take time to find. For example, in 2007, dermatologists in Finland were seeing hundreds of patients with rashes on their backs, buttocks, thighs, and arms. No cause could be found. Treatment with medication for contact dermatitis failed to help.
These patients often developed widespread itch and bumps. For some, the disease became so severe that they had to be hospitalized. Dermatologists in other European countries began seeing patients with the same signs and symptoms.
The race to find a cause was on. It took time to find the cause. Only when a few dermatologists started visiting the homes of their patients did they find the cause. All these patients, they discovered, had new furniture that came from a factory in Asia. Inside this furniture, the dermatologists found packets marked “mold-proof agent.”
Testing revealed that these packets contained a chemical that was causing the severe rash and body-wide reactions. Thanks to the investigations of these dermatologists, patients were able to avoid the cause. Equally important, no more people developed a rash from this chemical. The European Union banned it in consumer products.
While most people never develop such a serious reaction, this story shows that it can take time to find out what’s causing contact dermatitis.
When it comes diagnosing contact dermatitis and helping you avoid what causes it, dermatologists are the medical experts. If you have a rash that comes and goes or any other signs of contact dermatitis, seeing a board-certified dermatologist can help.
The sooner you see a dermatologist, the better. The longer you have contact dermatitis, the longer it will take to clear after your dermatologist finds the cause.
While an itchy rash is common, contact dermatitis can cause a range of signs and symptoms. You will find these along with more pictures that show you what contact dermatitis can look like at, Contact dermatitis: Signs and symptoms.
You can develop contact dermatitis on any part of your skin that touches something which either irritates your skin or causes an allergic reaction. Because we touch most things with our hands, contact dermatitis often develops here.
If you have an allergy to fragrance, which is common, you may develop contact dermatitis where you apply a personal care product. The face, neck, underarms, scalp, and tops of feet are also common places to develop contact dermatitis. However, contact dermatitis can appear anywhere on your skin.
When signs and symptoms appear, you may have:
Itchy skin (often intense)
Rash (skin discolored, swollen, and hot)
Excessively dry skin that may crack
Tender skin
Burning or stinging
Hives (round welts on the skin that itch intensely)
Fluid-filled blisters
Oozing blisters that leave crusts and scales
What causes contact dermatitis?
There are two main types of contact dermatitis. The rash and other symptoms of contact dermatitis develop when something either:
Irritates your skin, causing irritant contact dermatitis
Triggers an allergic reaction, causing allergic contact dermatitis
Irritant contact dermatitis: When something injures and then irritates your skin, it causes this type of contact dermatitis. Common irritants that can injure your skin, causing irritant contact dermatitis, include:
Detergents and bleach
Plants
Fruit juice
Hand sanitizers
Soaps
Gasoline and diesel oil
Disinfectants
Fertilizers and pesticides
Chemicals used to remove grease, oils, and cutting fluids
The above list gives you an idea of what can irritate your skin. It’s important to know that these are just a few of the many things that can irritate your skin. Under the right circumstances, even water can cause irritant contact dermatitis.
For example, if you dip your hands in water throughout the day and do this nearly every day, the water can strip away your skin’s protective barrier. Without a protective barrier, you have injured skin. If you continue to injure your skin by dipping your hands in water frequently, you develop irritant contact dermatitis.
Frequent handwashing can also cause irritant contact dermatitis. To reduce your risk, use mild soaps and cleansers. Applying a fragrance-free hand cream after each hand washing also helps.
Skin care products are a common cause of contact dermatitis
Even “natural” or “clean” skin care products can cause a skin reaction.
Allergic contact dermatitis: If what touches your skin causes an allergic reaction, you develop this type of contact dermatitis.
It can be difficult to figure out what’s causing allergic contact dermatitis because it takes time for the rash to appear. When your skin touches an allergen (what you’re allergic to), this triggers your immune system. A series of events occur inside your body before your skin reacts. For this reason, it can take hours or days before you develop a rash and symptoms.
To complicate matters, “there are more than 15,000 allergens,” says dermatologist Bruce Brod, MD, FAAD, who has a special interest in contact dermatitis.
While there are more than 15,000 allergens, some are more common. The most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis are:
AllergenWhere it's found Nickel Jewelry (including wedding rings and body piercings), cell phones, foods, and e-cigarettes Fragrance Perfume, skin care products, shampoos, and many other personal care products Balsam of Peru A fragrance used in cosmetics and personal care products, used in “unscented” products to cover up a fragrance, found in many foods (spices, ketchup, beer, wine, colas, chocolates, and more) Latex Medical supplies, including gloves (If you have a latex allergy, some foods like avocados, bananas, and kiwis can cause a flare-up.) Urushiol Found in the sap of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac
Some people only develop contact dermatitis after certain chemicals touch their skin and then ultraviolet (UV) light, such as sunlight, hits their skin. The rash only appears where the UV light hits their skin. Dermatologists refer to this type of allergic contact dermatitis as photocontact dermatitis.
Some people have a higher risk of developing contact dermatitis
While it’s possible for anyone to develop contact dermatitis, some people have a greater risk.
If you have a skin condition that lessens your skin’s ability to protect you from germs and other invaders, you have a greater risk. Conditions that cause this include atopic dermatitis (AD), stasis dermatitis, and leg ulcers. When your skin is less able to protect you, it’s easier for something to irritate your skin or trigger an allergic reaction.
People who work in certain jobs also have a higher risk. Anyone who dips their hands in water throughout the day or works with harsh chemicals has a higher risk.
As for specific jobs, studies show that people who work in one the following industries or jobs have a higher risk of developing contact dermatitis:
Health care workers
Food service workers, chefs, and bartenders
Construction workers
Cosmetologists (including hairstylists, nail technicians, makeup artists)
Florists
Machinists
Mechanics
Agricultural workers
Natural resources and mining
Manufacturing
In the United States, contact dermatitis is one of the most common diseases caused by the workplace.
What can get rid of contact dermatitis?
If you can figure out what’s irritating your skin or causing an allergic reaction, you can get rid of the contact dermatitis. To heal your skin, you need to avoid what’s causing your skin to react.
For example, if you smoke e-cigarettes and have a rash on your lips and the hand that you hold the e-cigarette with, the cause is probably e-cigarettes. If you stop using e-cigarettes and the rash clears on its own, you’ve likely found the cause.
Finding the cause isn’t always easy. If you continue to have a rash, see a board-certified dermatologist. This doctor can tell you whether you have contact dermatitis, an infection, or another skin condition.
A dermatologist can also help when you cannot avoid what’s causing your contact dermatitis. For example, if you work with harsh chemicals or need to wash your hands frequently throughout your workday, a dermatologist may recommend a glove that can protect your skin or a skin care product that helps.
By gathering the right information and studying it, dermatologists have found causes of contact dermatitis that often surprise their patients. Examples include:
Cleaning supplies used to clean the toilet seats at a patient’s workplace
Incense that a patient’s roommate burns
Wedding ring that a patient has worn for more than a decade
How do dermatologists diagnose contact dermatitis?
When a dermatologist suspects that contact dermatitis is causing your rash, a dermatologist will:
Examine your rash(es) carefully
Ask you questions about your health, job, hobbies, and everyday activities, when necessary
Test your skin to see if you are allergic to anything that may cause a rash, when necessary
The questions that your dermatologist asks can play a key role in finding out if you have contact dermatitis. For this reason, it’s important to think carefully about your answers.
When talking with your dermatologist be sure to mention:
All the skin, hair, and nail care products you use
Whether you apply skin, hair, or nail care products to someone you care for, such as a child or an elderly parent
When the rash appears
Your dermatologist may ask for details about your work. Many people develop contact dermatitis at their workplace. This is a common problem for hairstylists, health care workers, florists, chefs and other food service workers, people who work in manufacturing or agriculture, and mechanics.
After examining your skin and listening to your answers, your dermatologist may be able to figure out what is likely causing your rash. For example, your dermatologist can often quickly tell if poison ivy or an e-cigarette is the cause. To the trained eye, both leave telltale signs.
If an ingredient in your skin care products is causing your rash, it can be difficult to know which ingredient is responsible. Your dermatologist may have you stop using certain products for a while to see if the rash clears.
Sometimes, your dermatologist will recommend patch testing.
Finding the cause of contact dermatitis often requires a detective-like approach
So many things that touch your skin can lead to contact dermatitis.
How do dermatologists treat contact dermatitis?
The best way to treat contact dermatitis is to avoid what’s causing it. If you can avoid the cause, the rash and symptoms will go away.
Once you know what’s causing your contact dermatitis, learning what to avoid can be straightforward. For example, if poison ivy caused your rash, avoiding plants that contain urushiol (what causes the allergic reaction) can prevent another rash. When you cannot avoid these plants, your dermatologist can teach you how to protect your skin.
Other times, avoiding what causes your contact dermatitis can be more difficult. For example, if you’re allergic to nickel, hundreds of things that touch your skin could cause a rash. Everyday objects that may contain nickel include cell phones, buttons and zippers on clothing, and jewelry.
Your dermatologist can help you develop a realistic plan for avoiding what causes your rash. Learning what to do may take time. Taking the time to learn what can cause your rash will help you feel more comfortable and develop fewer rashes.
Because so many things can irritate the skin or cause an allergic reaction, it’s not always possible to find the cause. To complicate matters, some people develop allergies to many different things. When this happens, treatment can help.
Medication and other treatments for contact dermatitis
To relieve your discomfort and help clear the rash, your dermatologist may include one or more of the following in your treatment plan.
Rash: Medication prescribed by your dermatologist that you apply to the rash.
Rash that covers much of your skin: Medication that works throughout your body, such as prednisone. This medication can reduce the swelling and clear the rash. Most people get relief within 12 to 24 hours.
Itch relief: Cool compresses. Your dermatologist will explain how to use these.
Open sores that leak: Calamine lotion or colloidal oatmeal baths
Follow the directions that come with your medication
Some people are tempted to quit a medication when they see the rash clear. This can cause a serious problem. If you’re taking prednisone, suddenly stopping the medication can cause the rash to reappear. This is called a rebound rash, and it can be more serious than the rash that cleared.
When a patient continues to have rashes
While medication can help clear the rash, a few people continue to develop new rashes. Having rashes most of the time can interfere with life. To help their patients feel more comfortable and lead fulfilling lives, dermatologists can prescribe long-term medication.
These medications help to calm your overactive immune system. Your dermatologist may prescribe methotrexate or another medication.
Another option may be a treatment called phototherapy. To get this treatment, you will need to go to your dermatologist’s office or a hospital a few times a week for several weeks. During this treatment, your dermatologist uses light to help clear your skin and calm down your immune system.
Some patients get relief by applying medication to their skin when they get a rash.
Your dermatologist will consider your individual needs and prescribe an appropriate treatment.
If you continue to have rashes after trying a treatment, tell your dermatologist. When one treatment fails, another may work.
If you have contact dermatitis, the right skin care and prevention strategies can help heal your skin and prevent another itchy, painful rash. Here are the tips that dermatologists give their patients who have contact dermatitis.
Avoid what’s causing your rash. To heal your skin and prevent another rash, you need to: 1) Know what’s causing your rash and 2) Avoid touching what causes it.
For example, if you have an allergy to nickel, you need to know what often contains nickel and how to avoid it. You’ll find five tips that can help you avoid nickel at, Nickel allergy: How to avoid exposure and reduce symptoms.
If you’re uncertain what’s causing your rash, a board-certified dermatologist can help. To find out how, see Contact dermatitis: Diagnosis and treatment.
Until you see a dermatologist, you may be able to get an idea of what’s causing your rash by going to, Itchy rash could be contact dermatitis.Stop scratching. The rash can be itchy, but scratching tends to worsen the rash. Scratching can also lead to an infection.
Relieve the itch with cool compresses, anti-itch medication, or oatmeal baths. To make a cool compress, run cold water over a clean towel, then apply the cool, damp towel to the area for 10-15 minutes a few times daily.
Other ways to get relief are to apply an anti-itch medication that contains 1% hydrocortisone to your rash, slather calamine lotion on your itchy skin, or soak in a cool oatmeal bath. You can buy all these without a prescription.
Calamine lotion and oatmeal baths can also help dry oozing skin.Apply a fragrance-free moisturizer or barrier repair cream after washing. This helps seal in moisture, which your skin needs. Of course, you want to test this product before applying it widely. When you find a product that won’t cause a skin reaction, apply the moisturizer or barrier repair cream while your skin is still damp after washing.
To get the best results, it helps to apply your moisturizer (or barrier repair cream) throughout the day when your skin feels dry.Wash new clothes before you wear them. Washing new clothes helps to remove chemical residues and dyes that could cause a reaction.
Remember two key facts about contact dermatitis. If you suddenly develop a new rash, you can miss a likely cause, unless you know the following:
The rash may not be caused by what’s touching your skin when you first see the rash. Something that touched your skin hours or days ago may be the cause. A rash from an antibiotic ointment may show up 4 days later.
You can develop an allergic reaction to a product that you’ve used for years. This can happen for one of two reasons. If the product has been reformulated, it can contain different ingredients. The second reason is that you’ve developed a new allergic reaction.
Get your skin care advice from your dermatologist. If you have raw, irritated skin or have a skin hypersensitivity, your skin needs special care. Dermatologists are the medical doctors who specialize in skin care. A dermatologist can tell you which products would be best for you and which ones to avoid.