Contact Dermatitis and Other Contact Reactions

Contact dermatitis is probably the most common form of eczematoid dermatitis. It can be either irritant or a result of a delayed hypersensitivity response. It is characteristically diagnosed by location and the pattern of appearance of the rash. Eczema that fails to heal without treatment should make one suspect contact dermatitis. Removal of the offending agent is the important therapy followed by topical corticosteroids. The responsible agent can be diagnosed by patch testing.