Contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis can cause skin to become red, inflamed (irritated), blistered, dry, thickened and cracked .
These symptoms can develop on any area of the body, although the hands and face are most often affected.
Symptomscaused by an irritant usually appear within 48 hours,or even immediately. Milder irritants (such as soap and detergents) may not cause problems immediately you may need frequent exposure to these before they cause problems.
Symptoms caused by an allergen, such as make-up or metal jewellery, often take several days to develop.
If you can avoid being re-exposed to the substance responsible for the reaction, your skin will usually clear up within a few days or weeks.
However, some people experience severe and long-lasting symptoms, whichmay affect their quality of life.
Depending on the substance that caused the reaction, you may also experience some additional symptoms.
For example, allergens may cause affected areas of the skin to itch and irritants may cause a burning or stinging sensation.
Occasionally, areas of skin affected by contact dermatitis can become infected. Signs of an infection can include:
Seek immediate medical advice if you think your skin may have become infected, as you may need to take Penicillin .
Read about contact dermatitis, a type of eczema that causes inflammation of the skin when you come into contact with a particular substance
Read about the symptoms of contact dermatitis, which include red, inflamed (swollen), blistered, dry, thickened and cracked skin
Read about the causes of contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis occurs when your skin reacts to a particular substance.
Read about diagnosing contact dermatitis. Your GP can usually diagnose contact dermatitis from the appearance of your skin and by asking about your symptoms.
Read about treating contact dermatitis. Treatment can help most people manage their contact dermatitis, and some people may find their symptoms clear up entirely