As the name suggests, contact dermatitis is a skin condition characterized by an itchy rash that occurs when the skin comes into contact with an irritant or allergen. When it comes to contact dermatitis, New Jersey’s Skin & Laser Center of NJ explains that the extremely common skin condition impacts roughly 20 percent of the population. Symptoms include itchy skin, inflammation, redness, scaling, dry and scaly skin, burning, stinging, fluid-filled blisters, and oozing blisters that cause crusts and scales. Fortunately, dermatitis is not contagious, but it is uncomfortable and can be a source of embarrassment for some patients.
The first step of treating contact dermatitis is identifying the irritant causing the rash. After determining the source of the problem to prevent future outbreaks, the providers at Skin & Laser Center of NJ offer several noninvasive and highly effective treatment options to alleviate symptoms of the outbreak. Contact dermatitis can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, or race, but people working in certain professions have a higher risk of developing occupational contact dermatitis.
In late 2016 she founded the Skin & Laser Center of NJ, LLC in Mahwah, NJ where she continues to treat her medical and cosmetic patients, and further pursues her interest in laser medicine. Dr. Lieb’s mission is to provide high quality dermatologic care using up-to-date medical information and cutting edge technology in an efficiently run practice. Dr. Lieb is board certified in dermatology, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, a member of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the New Jersey Dermatologic Society. Dr. Lieb is a Staff Dermatologist at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood.
There are two types of contact dermatitis: allergic and irritant. The irritant form is the most common type, developing when something comes into contact with the skin but the patient isn’t allergic to the thing causing the irritation. Common causes of irritant contact dermatitis include diaper dermatitis (urine or feces irritates the skin), dry, cracked hands due to excessive hand wetting (irritation due to moisture), and redness and itching under the breasts (irritated by rubbing and moisture). Soap, shampoo, and food can also be mild irritants.
Anyone can develop contact dermatitis. In fact, the condition is so common that your doctor may tell you that you have occupational contact dermatitis (can be irritant or allergic). People who are more likely to get occupational contact dermatitis include nurses (and other healthcare workers), beauticians, bartenders, chefs (and others who work with food), florists (and others who work with plants), construction workers, janitors, mechanics, and plumbers.
The second and less common type is allergic contact dermatitis. This occurs when you are allergic to a specific chemical that comes into contact with your skin. Over the next three to 10 days, you develop a scaly or blistered, inflamed, itchy rash in the area of contact. Common causes of allergic contact dermatitis include poison ivy, nickel (in cell phones, jewelry, zippers, etc.), makeup, jewelry, latex gloves, nail polish, and fragrances. There are more than 3,600 other possible causes of allergic contact dermatitis, and it can develop from a chemical that you’ve been using for many years. Your provider can narrow down possible causes with a detailed history and thorough examination—and may recommend doing patch allergy testing. This helps to figure out which chemical is causing the rash and helps you select skin products without this chemical.
Patch testing involves the application of a series of allergen-containing panels directly to your back. After two days, your provider will remove the panels and examine the skin to see if there are any allergic reactions. A second examination after another two days helps to ensure an accurate diagnosis and identification of which allergens cause contact dermatitis.
Treatment for allergic and irritant contact dermatitis are the same. In both cases, we will work to help identify the cause of the rash. After identifying the cause, the next step is for the patient to avoid the substance that is causing the rash. It may take one to three weeks to improve after contact with the substance has stopped.
We may prescribe antihistamine pills, topical corticosteroids, topical or oral antibiotics to address any potential infections, oral or injectable biologic medications, and phototherapy to help reduce rashes. Steps you can take at home to help minimize symptoms include moisturizing to help seal the skin and protect it from chemicals. Oatmeal baths can help relieve itching and discomfort. For patients suffering from contact dermatitis caused by poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac, rashes may take up to six weeks to clear even with the appropriate treatment.
Skin & Laser Center of NJ in Ramsey provides a wide range of medical, surgical, and cosmetic services for patients in and around New Jersey. Patients can get diagnosis and treatment for acne, skin cancer (with Mohs surgery), chronic conditions (like psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema), moles, melasma, vitiligo, athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, scabies, contact dermatitis, and more. Cosmetic options include wrinkle-relaxing BOTOX® and Dysport®, dermal fillers like Juvederm® and Restylane®, Kybella® for reducing a double chin, chemical peels, Hydrafacial MD, microneedling, laser hair removal, laser acne treatments, laser scar treatments, laser tattoo removal, CoolSculpting®, laser vein treatments, sclerotherapy, and more.
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