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Profile: Contact Eczema (Contact Dermatitis)
Definition:
Contact dermatitis is an acquired inflammatory skin disease, triggered after the skin comes into contact with an allergen. Following this contact, red patches appear, potentially followed by swelling and accompanied by significant itching. Depending on the severity of the flare-up, two categories of contact eczema can be distinguished: chronic contact eczema caused by less potent irritants and requiring fairly long or repeated contact periods to provoke irritative contact dermatitis, and acute contact eczema declared after exposure to a highly irritating allergen.
Internal and external causes:
Fashion jewellery, clothing, topical medications, perfumes, chemical products, cosmetics, animal hair, etc.
How to reduce or eliminate:
Consult a dermatologist; apply a cortisone-based ointment or cream; administer an antihistamine; prescribe immunosuppressants.
Preventative steps to take:
Identifying the contact allergen (conducting allergological tests).
Related articles: Eczéma de contact (dermatite de contact).