What allergic contact dermatitis is?
Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is one of the forms of contact dermatitis.
It occurs to the allergic reaction on the part of the skin on contact with a substance and the other type of contact dermatitis is irritant contact dermatitis (ICD).
Who is more prone to allergic contact dermatitis?
Allergic contact dermatitis is mainly seen in women than in men.
Allergic contact dermatitis also can occur in case of neonates.
What are the causes of allergic contact dermatitis?
Allergens that leads to allergic contact dermatitis are as follows-
•Gold.
•Nickel.
•Balsam of Peru.
•Chromium- used in the tanning of leather.
•Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.
•Neomycin is a kind of topical antibiotic used in local antiseptics, soaps, cosmetics.
•Thimerosal used in topical antiseptics.
•Fragrance allergens found in foods.
•Formaldehyde-kind of preservative with multiple uses.
e.g. in paper products, paints, medications, household cleaners, cosmetic products.
•There are some metals found in medical products such as cobalt chloride as in hair dyes, antiperspirants, metal plated objects.
•Topical steroids.
•Photographic developers.
What are the sign and symptoms of allergic contact dermatitis?
•First sign appearing on the skin is rash or skin lesions at the site of exposure.
•Skin lesions include papules, blisters, vesicles or even a simple red area.
•These vesicles can ooze, drain or crusts are a form on them and they become raw, scalded or thickened.
•Other symptoms appearing are itching at the part of exposure.
•Skin redness.
•Localized swelling of the affected part and the area may become tender and warm.
•If left untreated then the skin becomes dark, leathery and cracked.
•Pain can also be present with other symptoms.
How to diagnose a case of allergic contact dermatitis?
Diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis is done by the following steps-
•The physical examination of the eruptions.
•Medical history of the patient.
•The family history of the patient.
•Patch test.
•Allergy tests.
How mistakenly allergic contact dermatitis compared with another disease?
•Drug-Induced bullous disorders.
•Drug-Induced photosensitivity.
•Contact dermatitis.
•Nummular dermatitis.
•Onycholysis.
•Phyto photodermatitis.
•Seborrheic dermatitis.
•Tinea corporis.
•Transient acantholytic dermatosis.
•Urticaria.
How do I get relief from allergic contact dermatitis?
•Topical corticosteroids.
•Sedating oral antihistamines.
•Calamine lotion, cool oatmeal baths.
•Phototherapy is also helpful.
•Avoidance of allergic metals or accessories.
Can homeopathy help in allergic contact dermatitis?
Yes, homeopathy help symptomatically in this case. Some of the homeopathic medicine can help in this case. These are:
•Arsenicum album
•Graphites
•Petroleum
•Psorinum
•Sulphur
