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Understanding the Cause of Allergic Contact Dermatitis
By Blake Helton | October 19, 2009
Allergic contact dermatitis can be an extremely frustrating condition. From out of know where, you skin erupts into a swollen, itchy, and painful red rash. This happens because your skin has had direct contact with an allergen. Many people would state that one of the best ways of treating eczema is to prevent it from happening. You can prevent this eczema if you can avoid the allergen, but first you have to diagnose your specific allergen.
It is important to remember when diagnosing the condition that it is not an immediate reaction. There are other types of skin rashes that occur almost immediately after coming into contact. Likewise, they begin to improve soon after the allergen is removed. Allergic contact dermatitis can take up to 48 to 72 hours before a reaction can be visible on the skin. The eczema also takes longer to heal. This delayed reaction is why it makes it more difficult to diagnose the specific allergen causing the eczema.
Patch testing is a very common method used to determine allergens. Patch testing accounts for the delayed reaction and the longer time frame which is associated with this type of eczema. Patch testing is done by applying low dose strips of the allergen to the skin for two days. If a reaction occurs, especially if there is a red or inflamed spot, then you know that allergen is one of your eczema triggers. This testing does take a while to test all of the common allergens. If yours is a more unusual trigger then it will take more time.
If you are not interested or do not have the time to perform patch testing, you can try to determine the allergen on your own. This process can be complicated. You will need to have patience, take good notes, and have great observational skill.
The best place to start when identifying your allergen is to chronicle the location of the eczema. Contact dermatitis, as the name implies, happens where the allergen contacts the skin. Therefore, if you continually get eczema in one spot then you must make a journal of what regularly touches your skin in that location. If there is only one item, then you have identified your allergen. If there is more than one item, then you can use the process of elimination by avoiding all but one allergen for at least 2 weeks. If you have no reaction to that allergen, then expose yourself to one additional allergen for the next 2 weeks. Continue this test until you have a reaction and are able to determine the cause.
This kind of reaction is very common among people who are sensitive to nickel. This allergy is so common because nickel is often used to make jewelry, watches, and other accessories that come into contract with your skin. If you have found that you often have a rash on your ears, wrist, or neck then the first allergy you should test is nickel.
It may surprise you how many allergens you are exposed to everyday. Beauty products, rubber and latex products, hair dyes, and nail varnish are very well known allergens. The more common outdoor causes of contact dermatitis include poison oak and poison ivy. Uncommon allergens tend to be present in the workplace. Nurses, woodworkers, welders, construction workers, painters, and others who are regularly exposed to unusual chemicals at work often find that they have one or more allergen in the workplace. This type of eczema is called occupational contact dermatitis and you will need to seek help from your employer in order to identify and control your exposure.
Determining the cause of your eczema is the most important step in treating your allergic contact dermatitis. This will help you avoid exposure, control your condition, and actually prevent eczema. The sooner you can identify your allergens, the sooner you can stop your suffering.
To understand more more about Eczema and treatment for Eczema, check out Blake Helton’s authoritative articles on the above mentioned sites.
categories: eczema,diseases,skin care,alternative,health
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