Treatment of contact dermatitis.

Contact dermatitis consists of a skin inflammation caused by the skin coming in contact with certain substances, resulting in a red itchy rash. The substances that cause this condition vary from person to person and they can include soap, jewellery, detergents, or weeds. This skin condition is neither contagious nor life-threatening.

Contact dermatitis treatment starts by first learning to recogaize the triggers and effectively avoid them or at least reduce exposure to them. Once you come in contact with these substances for a period of time the rash will reappear. There are two types of contact dermatitis: allergic and irritant. With allergens you only need a small amount f of them to trigger the rash; with irritants, some more exposure is needed.

To find relief from redness and itching, your doctor may suggest the use of topical treatment, such as hydrocortisone creams, topical steroid creams and emollients. When the symptoms are severe, you may need to tackle the condition with the help of corticosteroids and antihistamines.

In any case, while in a contact dermatitis treatment, it is important that you avoid scratching. You can relive the itching by applying wet compresses on the affected area. If you still scratch it, you can cause an infection, and antibiotic treatment will be needed.

Going to a doctor is a must. A doctor will help you guide you trough treatment, but most importantly, will help you get an accurate diagnose of your type of dermatitis. A physical examination usually takes place, but if this is not enough to determine the exact condition, you'll need to do a patch test. These are patches that contain small doses of allergens, and help isolate the trigger.