Diagnosis of Contact Dermatitis
How is contact dermatitis diagnosed?
The most important factor for diagnosis is suspected of having, you or the doctor that certain substances from their environment causes dermatitis. It should always think about the possibility of contact dermatitis when viewing eczema. Two aspects are key to differentiate contact dermatitis from any other cause that may cause a rash:
When (at what point is made)
Allergic contact dermatitis usually occurs between 12 – 96 hours after exposure to the allergen. The dermatitis improved during weekends or holidays may indicate that its origin is at work. Seasonal variation of dermatitis is seen, in particular plant allergens.
Where (the location of the affected body area)
Contact dermatitis usually begins and remain located in the area of the body most in contact with the substance that causes it. The affected skin area is a vital clue to discover the source of allergy (eg rash caused by metal belt buckle could indicate an allergy to nickel).Location of contact dermatitis and suspected agents
Location suspected agent
- Eyelid: makeup, airborne allergens, nail varnish
- Neck or earlobes, jewelry, textiles
- Profile of the scalp and forehead hair dyes
- Face cosmetics, airborne substances
- Armpits: deodorant
- Waist: elastic, nickel or other metals
- Feet: Leather, plastic, rubber
- Hands: metal, creams, plants, cement.
All patients with contact dermatitis should be patch test to determine which allergens cause dermatitis.
What else could it be?
Various types of eczema can cause a similar reaction:
- Atopic Eczema
- Seborrheic Eczema (also known as seborrheic dermatitis)
- Discoid Eczema
- Psoriasis
- Dyshidrosis
- Moss.
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