Contact Dermatitis

Diagnosis

Depending on your pattern of skin symptoms, the doctor will ask about your personal and family allergy history, your history of exposure to irritating chemicals at work or at home, or your contact with poisonous plants. In some cases, your doctor also may need to know the names of specific ingredients found in products that you routinely apply to your skin or hair, especially cosmetics, shampoos, hair dyes, skin lotions, nail polish or antibiotic skin ointments.

After reviewing your history of allergies and chemical exposures, your doctor usually can confirm the diagnosis of contact dermatitis by examining your skin.

In cases of possible ACD, your doctor may refer you to a dermatologist (skin specialist) for a more detailed workup using patch testing. Patch testing is a type of allergy test in which small amounts of specific allergens are applied to the skin of your back, and then covered with tape. After 48 hours, the doctor removes the tape and examines the underlying skin for signs of an allergic reaction. A second reading is done after three to seven days.

Expected Duration

With proper treatment, your symptoms probably will clear up within one to two weeks, as long as you stop exposing your skin to the substance that first triggered your skin reaction.

If you continue to have long-term exposure to harmful chemicals or allergens, you eventually may develop symptoms of chronic contact dermatitis that can last for many years.