What causes contact dermatitis?
Contact dermatitis is inflammation caused by direct irritant damage or a delayed allergic response to a substance. Symptoms vary and overlap other conditions, so internet information alone should not be used for diagnosis.
Features, causes and evaluation
1. Features, causes and risks Soaps, solvents, repeated wet work, nickel, fragrances and preservatives can trigger it. Redness, itch, dryness, cracks or blisters may be prominent at contact sites. A risk factor does not guarantee disease, and its absence does not exclude disease. Onset, duration, triggers, medicines and coexisting conditions change the assessment. 2. Clinical evaluation A health professional starts with history and examination and selects laboratory or imaging tests according to the likely possibilities. One out-of-range result does not always prove disease, and a normal result may not exclude every possibility. Age, pregnancy, medicines and clinical context matter.
Follow-up, prevention and when to seek help
1. Follow-up, prevention and safety Exposure diaries and product ingredients are reviewed, and patch testing may help allergic cases. Widespread blistering, facial-eye swelling, infection or breathing trouble requires medical assessment. Treatment depends on diagnosis, severity, other conditions, pregnancy, medicines and personal preferences. Starting, stopping or changing a prescription without professional advice can be unsafe. 2. When to seek help Seek care for new, persistent, worsening or function-limiting symptoms. Sudden breathlessness, chest pain, fainting, new weakness or speech difficulty, uncontrolled bleeding, severe dehydration, confusion or risk of self-harm requires emergency help. This is general information and not a personal medical assessment.