Detergents, soaps, cleaners, waxes, and chemicals are substances that can irritate the skin. They can wear down the oily, protective layer on the skin surface and lead to irritant contact dermatitis. Irritant contact dermatitis is common among people who regularly work with strong chemicals or detergents, such as restaurant, maintenance, and chemical workers. It is also seen in people who do a lot of housework due to contact with cleaning products.

Some occupations have more exposure to chemicals or substances that can result in sensitization and cause allergic contact dermatitis. Examples of these include dental workers, health care workers, florists, hairdressers, and machinists.

Contact dermatitis symptoms can range from mild redness and dryness to severe pain and peeling that can be disabling.

Allergic contact dermatitis can be very difficult to distinguish from other rashes.

Irritant contact dermatitis symptoms include:

• Mild swelling of skin
• Stiff, tight feeling skin
• Dry, cracking skin
• Blisters
• Painful ulcers on the skin

Symptoms vary depending on the cause of dermatitis.

If you have a skin rash that won’t go away, visit your health care provider. If he or she suspects allergic contact dermatitis, patch testing may be performed. In this test, small samples of chemicals are placed on an area of skin on your back to see if a rash develops. There are no needles or pricking of the skin. These areas of the skin are then evaluated after 48 hours and again at 96 hours or one week.

The advantage of patch testing is that, if you are allergic to any chemical/product, the allergens can be identified, and your healthcare provider can effectively treat the rash with therapy and avoidance of the allergen(s). There are no tests that can be done for irritant contact dermatitis. Tell your healthcare provider about any irritating substances or chemicals that you regularly come into contact with (including cosmetics, lotions, and nail polish).

With either type of contact dermatitis, you can avoid substances you suspect and see if the rash improves.

The type of treatment depends on the cause of contact dermatitis. Common treatments include oral and/or topical corticosteroids, antihistamines, lotions and creams, or oatmeal baths.

For allergic contact dermatitis:

• Avoid contact with substances that cause the skin rash
• Wash any area that comes into contact with allergic substances
  
• Learn to recognize poison oak and poison ivy
  

For irritant contact dermatitis:

• Wear cotton gloves under rubber gloves for all wet work. Use plain petroleum jelly to protect the skin. Reapply the petroleum jelly two or three times a day and after washing your hands.
• Avoid contact with substances that irritate the skin
• Use mild soaps
• Use hand creams and lotions frequently