Contact dermatitis and skin allergies

Contact dermatitis is a rash that appears when your skin touches something that irritates it or that you are allergic to. Common causes include fragrance, nickel in jewelry, hair dye, preservatives in skin care, rubber gloves and plants like poison ivy.

The most important part of treatment is finding the cause, so you can avoid it and keep the rash from coming back.

Signs and symptoms

• An itchy red rash where something touched your skin
• Bumps or blisters that may ooze and crust
• Dry, cracked or burning skin
• A rash in a pattern, such as under a watch band or along an earring line

How we treat it

• Finding the cause: a detailed history of what touches your skin at home and at work
• Patch testing: to find the specific allergens behind the rash
• Prescription creams: to calm the rash
• Oral medicines: for severe or widespread reactions
• A plan for avoiding triggers: including help reading product labels

Where it is offered

Contact dermatitis Q&A

Related care

• Patch testing
• Eczema and dermatitis
• Rashes
• Hives