Contact dermatitis, causes and remedies

Contact dermatitis can be allergic or irritative ; in both cases, contact dermatitis causes redness of the skin, often accompanied by itching .

The prevention of contact dermatitis consists in avoiding contact with the substances that triggered it, while the symptoms can be treated with natural remedies .

Causes and symptoms of contact dermatitis

Allergic contact dermatitis is a skin reaction that occurs when the skin comes into contact with an allergen that triggers a reaction of the immune system .

This reaction is manifested by a reddening of the skin and the appearance of blisters, accompanied by intense itching . The allergenic substances can be chemical or natural: often, in fact, allergic contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to chemicals in detergents, paints or solvents, dyes, plant essences and metals, including nickel .

Irritative contact dermatitis has causes and symptoms very similar to allergic type dermatitis but the reaction is due to substances that instead of triggering an allergic reaction, irritate the skin because they are particularly aggressive : this is the case for example of acid or alkaline substances present in cleaning products or irritants present in plants .

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Natural remedies to treat dermatitis symptoms

To alleviate the symptoms of contact dermatitis, frequent washing and particularly aggressive detergents should be avoided ; better to choose a mild cleanser or rose or chamomile water.

In case of contact dermatitis, it is also necessary to resist the instinct to scratch and to dry the skin it is preferable to dab it instead of rubbing it, so as not to worsen the irritation.

To soothe the redness and itching, natural products without perfumes and dyes can be used, such as Aloe vera gel or a paste made from zinc oxide and water. Allergic type reactions can also be treated with creams based on Ribes nigrum, a fruit with an antihistamine action.

If dermatitis affects the face, it may be helpful to replace the cream make-up with powdered mineral products, which do not contain perfumes and potentially irritating substances.

How to prevent contact dermatitis

The only prevention for contact dermatitis, both allergic and irritative, consists in identifying and avoiding the substances that trigger the allergic reaction or irritation.

It is therefore good to consult a dermatologist or allergist to investigate the causes and types of dermatitis; the dermatological examination and the patch test are sufficient to make a diagnosis and identify any allergens responsible for the reaction.

To prevent the onset of symptoms, contact with the substance that triggered them should be avoided or, alternatively, adequate protection should be used.