DermatitisCauses, Types and Treatments

Dermatitis is basically skin inflammation. It is usually caused by direct contact with an irritating substance. Men are more prone to it than women and the peak age of onset is 55-65 years.

Sometimes the terms "dermatitis" and "eczema" are interchangeable since eczema can also be due to both internal (endogenous) and external (exogenous) factors.

Types of Dermatitis:

Irritant dermatitis - Caused by substances which irritates the skin, for example prolonged contact with water, soaps and detergents, chemicals, acids, abrasives, oils, solvents and alkalis. The rash is usually limited to the contact area.

Allergic Dermatitis - Where the skin reacts adversely to the offending substance (allergen) - this is a cell-mediated immunological reaction. In this case, dermatitis will be the result every time the person comes into contact with the allergen, notwithstanding the quantity of the allergen or the time period of contact.

Common allergens are usually in glue, adhesive tape, cement, paint, varnish, polish, dyes, plastics, cosmetics, creams, soaps, detergents and rubber chemicals including rubber gloves apart from some other products. In certain cases the rash can affect other parts of the body too.
Irritant dermatitis is five times more likely to occur than allergic dermatitis. As per theory, any irritant which comes into contact with the skin frequently enough and in sufficient concentration will affect the skin causing dermatitis. Therefore the efficacy of the skin barrier is the main preventative.

Diagnosing Dermatitis
There is no specific or single symptom or feature used to identify this disease. Though the symptoms of dermatitis can take the form of redness, itching, swelling, blistering, scaling and weeping.
Each person tells a different story of syndromes and the symptoms, and severity of the disease may change over time and vary from person to person. Therefore the practitioner may need to check out the patient several times to make a diagnosis.

The most valuable diagnostic tool in the hands of the practitioner is a thorough examination of medical history of the patient which provides valuable information such as family history of allergic diseases, any food that causes skin problems, previous treatments for skin, use of steroids, effect of stress, career or social life.

Sometimes a biopsy or patch testing is required to understand reactions of the skin or overreactions of the immune system.
If not properly treated in time, skin can crack and bleed and the dermatitis can spread all over the body. It is important to know that dermatitis cannot be passed from one person to another as it is not infectious.

Treatment of Dermatitis

1. Bathing - if water is the problem, reduce the frequency of bathing.

2. Replace your standard soap with a mild soap-free cleanser.

3. Clothing - Wear soft smooth cool clothes; avoid wool, pure cotton or linen are great options.

4. Use the emollient liberally and often, particularly after bathing, and when itchy.

5. Use a topical steroid cream or ointment on the itchy patches over a 5 to 15 day course. Steroids should usually be applied once or twice daily to the problem areas.

6. Apply Pimecrolimus cream. It is a new anti-inflammatory cream, and is very effective for atopic dermatitis.

7. Antihistamine tablets may help in irritation, and are very useful at night.

8. Creams containing hydrocortisone or wet dressings that can provide moisture to the skin may help relieve redness and itching.

I hope the above information helped you, but it is not enough by any means. For detailed and exhaustive information on dermatitis visit www.dermatitisfacts.com

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Eczema Dermatitis" article category.

People interested in the above article "DermatitisCauses, Types and Treatments" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

What is Dermatitis and What Are Their Symptoms?

Dermatitis is a term that means "inflammation of the skin", it can be of various types: contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis (eczema) are just some of them, and it usually comes up as red, swollen and itchy skin (keep in mind that this condition can appear in many forms varying on each person).

What Really Causes Dermatitis in Men and Women?

When people talk about dermatitis they are referring a lot of times to eczema, but eczema is only one type of dermatitis: atopic dermatitis. The term itself means inflammation of the skin and it encompasses different variations or types (like contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, neurodermatitis, etc.)

How to Spot the Symptoms of Perioral Dermatitis

Perioral dermatitis is a type of skin inflammation that affects the area around the mouth. In order to treat this skin inflammation, you must first learn about the symptoms of perioral dermatitis. This information will prove invaluable when the time comes to seek help from a health professional. You can start worrying about the symptoms of this condition when you feel an annoying burning sensation around the mouth.

Dermatitis Skin Care Tips For Itching Relief

Dermatitis is one of the most common skin problems. And even when taking into account all the steps to proper skin care you can suffer from it. The term dermatitis means "inflammation of the skin" and it refers to either inflammation or swelling, many people often refers to dermatitis as eczema. If I had to name the biggest sign of dermatitis, it would be severe itching; sufferers are often scratching themselves heavily to find a type of relief - that by the way comes only for some seconds.

Perioral Dermatitis - Dermatitis Around Your Mouth

Perioral dermatitis is a type of dermatitis that appears around the mouth however it can then spread to surrounding areas like the chin or the nose. Although from the outside it may look like acne, it is different and it can be caused by the products you apply to your face - and even your toothpaste! The signs of perioral dermatitis manifest around the mouth in the form of rashes, hence the "perioral" part.

All the Info About Seborrheic Dermatitis and Dandruff

Sebohrreic dermatitis is a type of dermatitis that affects millions of people in the World. Dermatitis means inflammation of the skin and it is often referred as eczema. It acquires the term "seborrheic" when its origin is linked to the sebaceous glands. When you have seborrheic dermatitis, you develop red patches on the skin, and people who have oily skin are the ones who are more prone to developing it.

What is Dermatitis? Learn All About This Skin Condition

Dermatitis is often spotted the first time you notice you have dry itchy skin. Though some people only have a dry skin problem, there are others who suffer from this common condition, found in people from all ages, sex and race. If both of these symptoms are presents: dryness and itching, a visit to a skin professional could be pretty helpful. If your doctor diagnoses you with dermatitis, don't worry, this condition is more common than you think, it is neither fatal nor contagious, and nowadays is very manageable.