Allergic contact dermatitis as the name suggest is caused due to the contact with an allergen that the skin is sensitive or allergic to. After the initial exposure to the allergen the reaction appears within forty eight hours. Generally the substances do not cause any problem to most of the people. If the skin becomes allergic to the substance then in such a case any contact with the substance results in a rash.

Symptoms

The following are the common symptoms of Allergic contact dermatitis

·    Swelling

·    Redness

·    Itching

·    Blistering

·    Weeping

The blisters may break forming scales and crust. If the skin is not treated it can become darkened, cracked and leathery. If it has been present for a while it may be difficult to distinguish from other rashes.

The allergen can be a part of the product you have been using for a long time and need not be a new product. It occurs most commonly in adults. Allergic contact dermatitis more commonly occurs in females.

Cause

Allergic contact dermatitis is generally not caused by solvents, acid, alkali, detergents, or strong soaps. The harsh compounds that produce a reaction on someone’s skin are called irritants. The condition is a result of contact with substances which does not lead to a reaction in most people. Whether a person is allergic to something is determined by his genes. A rash may break on the face even if it may not have come in contact with the face. This could be due to the fact that the hands may have come in contact with such a substance and then if you touch the face then a reaction can be seen on the face. As the skin of the hands is thicker than that of the face so a reaction may not be seen on the hands.

Treatment

Stop using all products that you have been using on exposed areas and use only those that products that have been advised by the dermatologist. The most common treatment is the cortisone ointment preparation. The more effective natural treatment that is available is Epitrex. It is effective in eliminating flare-ups. As the treatment is strong so visit your dermatologist after every 2 weeks of treatment. If the treatment is going well the dermatologist would then advise a weaker medication. Try determining the cause and then remove it. In case you are unable to find the cause then patch testing can be done to determine it.