Symptoms - Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis can cause skin to become:

• itchy, blistered, dry or cracked
• inflamed (swollen)
• red, if you have white skin
• dark brown, purple or grey, if you have black or brown skin

Symptoms can affect any part of the body but they happen most often on the hands and face.

Some substances may cause other symptoms. Other symptoms include burning, stinging, tenderness, weeping or crusting.

When symptoms happen

Contact with substances such as irritants or allergens can cause contact dermatitis. If you can avoid contact with the irritant or allergen, your skin usually improves within a few days or weeks.

But some people experience severe and long-lasting symptoms. This may affect their quality of life.

If an irritant is the cause

Irritant dermatitis can happen to anyone if their skin is exposed to an irritant. Irritants damage the outer layer of the skin.

Irritant contact dermatitis:

• usually appears immediately or within 48 hours after exposure
• may cause burning, stinging, itching or pain
• may only appear if you are in contact with the irritant very often, for example soap or detergent
• happens in the area exposed to the irritant - often the hands

If an allergen is the cause

Allergens are substances that cause the immune system to react in a way that affects the skin. Only people sensitised to an allergen develop a reaction.

Allergen contact dermatitis:

• does not appear immediately - symptoms develop 24 to 72 hours after exposure
• may cause an itchy rash - the rash may blister, weep or swell
• may cause scaly or thickened patches of skin over time
• usually happens in the area exposed to the allergen
• can appear on other parts of your body through contact - for example, if you touch your eyes or genitals with the allergen on your hands

Skin infection

Sometimes areas of skin affected by contact dermatitis can become infected.