Allergic Contact Dermatitis

What is Allergic Contact Dermatitis?

Allergic Contact Dermatitis is caused by an allergic reaction to a material (allergen) that came in contact with the skin. This type of dermatitis occurs due to an overactive immune response. The body's immune cells recognize certain substances as harmful and trigger an allergic reaction. 

How Does Allergic Contact Dermatitis Present?

The area affected may be red, irritated, itchy, or swollen. It can include the development of small blisters or hives. It is normal to experience this condition a few times after the first exposure to the allergen/product or to experience a delayed response.

What Can We Do?

Your provider can prescribe prescription topical steroids to treat the present site affected. These topical steroids can only treat the symptoms at hand, but to determine the root of the symptoms, it is crucial to find the allergen causing the reaction. A patch test is a great way to identify what the allergen may be and can be performed in the office. 
Image sourced from DermNet

Important Information

Patch Testing

Patch testing is used to determine the allergens your skin is reacting to. You will come into the clinic three days in one week, each visit being two days apart. On day 1, you will have 87 stickers placed on your back, the 87 most common allergens found in everyday products. In your follow-up visits, we will determine which sticker sites are reactive. If an allergic reaction is occurring, the sticker site will get red and irritated, but should not be painful. 

Common Allergens

Look out for reactions to jewelry, latex, certain medications, and various chemicals found in cosmetics, fragrances, and household products.  

Tips for After Patch Testing

We encourage you to bring in any skincare, makeup, haircare, shower products, etc. that you use at home. This way we can go through the ingredient lists together and determine if these are "safe" products for you.