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Contact eczema
Contact eczema is another form of skin reaction with symptoms that can be similar to atopic dermatitis: redness, itch, blisters that can break leaving wet oozing lesions, which in time become covered in dry crusts.
This form of eczema appears on the skin whenever it comes in contact with substances to which the person is sensitive. It is not caused by IgE but by sensitised cells and is slower in onset than other IgE-mediated allergic reactions such as rhinitis and asthma. A large number of products (called contact allergens) can cause this:
- Metals,particularly nickel (used in jewellery, eye glasses frames, zippers, buttons, hooks, etc) and chromium (used in cement, glues, paintings, plaster, leather tanning etc.)
- Preservatives and fragrances used in cosmetics and personal hygiene products (such as soaps, shampoos, deodorants, perfumes, even tooth paste); hair dyes, nail polish etc.
- Cleaning products and detergents
- Fabric dyes (especially those used for colouring synthetic materials) and substances used to reduce cotton shrinkage
- Rubber ingredients used in gloves, shoes, clothing, toys, medical devices, dentures etc.
- Plants such as poison ivy, poison oak, primrose, chrysanthemum, parsley leaves, daisy, dandelions etc.
- Drugs, usually those applied directly to the skin (such as antibiotics, of which neomycin is the most common; and local anaesthetic creams).
Resolution of the symptoms of contact dermatitis can take weeks. In most cases, you will need to follow the medical treatment prescribed by an allergy specialist or dermatologist. In addition to the drug treatment, you may find that it helps to apply wet, cold dressings on the red, itchy areas with blisters.
Dermatitis can occur upon direct contact with the plant or even if you have been in its vicinity but without actually touching it. This is because some of the substances causing the reaction can become airborne.
Sometimes you get allergic contact dermatitis only if you are exposed to the contact allergen and to sunlight (UV light) at the same time – a condition called photocontact allergic dermatitis. This is very often the case with plant contact dermatitis and drug dermatitis (drugs administered orally can also trigger this type of dermatitis). It is typical that in photocontact dermatitis, the symptoms are limited to the skin areas exposed to sun (most often the hands, face and neck).
Tips for allergic patients
The best way to be symptom free – stay away from the allergens
- Try to completely avoid the allergen causing your symptoms.
- You should check the pollen calendar for your part of the world and, as much as possible, avoid being outdoors during the pollen season of plants to which you are allergic.
- Keep your windows closed in the early morning if you live in a green area or the country side and in the evening if you live in an urban area
- Sleep with your bedroom windows shut
- Stay indoors as much as possible during hot, dry, windy days
- Take your treatment before the season starts and use it regularly throughout, even on days when you have no symptoms - it works better that way
- When walking in the garden, fields or forests wear gloves, long sleeves and long trousers to prevent coming in contact with plants. You cannot always identify the plant you are allergic to so it’s better to avoid contact with them altogether.
- If you are allergic to products that need to be handled, always wear gloves when working with them.
- If you are allergic to preservatives in cosmetics, read the label carefully when buying a new product to make sure that it does not contain the substance to which you are allergic.