Contact Dermatitis

Allergic contact dermatitis is a skin condition in which direct contact with an allergen triggers a cell mediated allergic response and the development of localised itchy, red rashes on the skin. The rashes typically present a few days after contact with the allergen and persist for as long as there is contact with the allergen. It can take several weeks for rashes to disappear and the skin to heal after contact with the allergen ceases (ASCIA, 2015).

Some common causes of contact dermatitis include:

– nickel
– chemicals
– plants
– cosmetics
– perfumes
– ointments

Patch Testing is commonly used to aid in the diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis.

Reference List:

Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy [ASCIA]. 2015. Contact dermatitis. <Accessed 1 December, 2015: https://allergy.org.au/images/pcc/ASCIA_PCC_Contact_dermatitis_2015.pdf>