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Contact dermatitis (contact eczema) is a skin disease that is treated primarily by avoiding contact with allergens or irritants. Symptomatic treatment is then applied to alleviate the symptoms of contact eczema. Check how to cure contact dermatitis and how to prevent it?
How to cure contact dermatitis ? First of all, avoid contact with the allergen or irritants that cause inflammation of the skin. When eczema symptoms appear, it is very important to wash the affected area of the skin with plenty of water to remove any traces of harmful substances. Symptomatic treatment is then applied to alleviate the symptoms of contact dermatitis.
Contact dermatitis - diagnosis
The first stage of the diagnostic process is a medical interview, the purpose of which is to determine whether the patient is suffering from allergic contact dermatitis or if the skin inflammation is the result of irritation by a substance.
If an allergic reaction is suspected, your doctor may order a skin patch test (contact test). It is a chamber patch (metal discs) filled with test substances (allergens in appropriate concentrations), which is stuck to the patient's back. After removing the patch (after about 24-48 hours), in the case of allergy to any of the substances listed, an inflammatory reaction appears. The doctor will check the patient's skin again in 2 or 3 days to see if there is a delayed allergic reaction. The sensitivity of patch tests is about 60-80 percent. In cases of photoallergy, patch tests are used, one of which is irradiated with UVA radiation and the other is not.
You can also perform an external skin examination. Then the doctor applies drops with the allergen to the forearm or back and gently punctures the skin. Then the allergen enters the body. If a reaction in the form of a bubble appears after approx. 15 minutes, it means that this ingredient is the cause of the allergy.
If the skin test results are inconclusive, blood tests can be performed to determine the level of antibodiesIgE.
Contact dermatitis treatment
If contact dermatitis is the result of an allergy, the patient is given antihistamines to stop the allergic reaction. When contact dermatitis affects more than 1/3 of the body surface, the doctor may decide to administer corticosteroids. However, keep in mind that steroids are a potential allergen and, instead of helping, they can aggravate allergic eczema. In addition, the use of steroids is associated with numerous side effects. In some cases, it is necessary to administer immunosuppressants, which contribute to lowering the activity of the immune system. They are almost as effective as steroids, but do not cause as many side effects. Unfortunately, their price is quite high. Another way to treat allergic eczema is through desensitization. It consists in the patient's ingestion of the allergen in minimal amounts so that the body does not react with an allergy, but gets used to it, and thus becomes immunized. Unfortunately, the observations of doctors show that most patients, despite many years of treatment and avoiding allergens, may have eczema lesions.
For both non-allergic and allergic contact dermatitis, topical treatment consists of applying creams and ointments to the skin to reduce the severity of skin inflammation and itching. For exudative vesicular lesions, astringent compresses made of water only with 0.9% can be used. saline solution as they dry out the skin and also soothe itching. Additionally, emollients should be used to moisturize the skin and strengthen its natural protective barrier.
This will be useful to youContact dermatitis - how to prevent it?
1. Avoid contact with a specific allergen or irritant. 2. Before you start hand washing or washing dishes, be sure to wear protective gloves, especially if you are using agents that previously caused contact eczema. Avoid working with your bare hands with previously unknown substances. 3. Use agents that are free of color and odor. 4. Before applying a new cosmetic, make an allergy test - rub a small amount of cream at the interface between the ear and cheek and wait for the skin to react. 5. Avoid harsh brushes and washers, as well as coarse-grained scrubs that can damage the epidermis. 6. Use barrier creams.