Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFrequent SymptomsRare SymptomsComplicationsWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Contact Dermatitis GuideHow Contact Dermatitis Is Treated
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Frequent Symptoms
Rare Symptoms
Complications
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
Next in Contact Dermatitis Guide
Contact dermatitisdevelops when your skin comes in contact with a substance that irritates your skin, or one to which you are allergic. The classic symptoms of contact dermatitis are an itchy,redrash, often with bumps and blisters. Other symptoms include dry skin, cracking, burning, and flaking.
Contact dermatitis can come on quickly, in the case of acute contact dermatitis, or develop slowly and be more long-lasting, as in chronic contact dermatitis.
Verywell / Catherine Song
Symptoms of contact dermatitis can include:
If you’re having symptoms of an acute allergic reaction (for example, difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, mouth, or lips), seek medical attention immediately.
Acute contact dermatitis comes on quickly with marked symptoms.Poison ivy rashis an example of acute contact dermatitis.
Chronic contact dermatitis won’t necessarily cause very obvious symptoms. You can have patches of dry, reddened, or rough skin that never seem to go away, even with repeated application of moisturizing lotions.
Contact dermatitis can affect any area of the body that comes in contact with the causative substance, including the face,eyelids,hands, feet, and genital area.
Reproduced with permission from © DermNet New Zealandwww.dermnetnz.org2023.
Sometimes you’ll know exactly what caused your contact dermatitis, for instance, if you’ve come in contact with poison ivy. But often it takes a bit of sleuthing to figure out what the offending substance is.
Sometimes you can experience different effects associated with chronic or acute contact dermatitis.
Exfoliative Dermatitis (Erythroderma): Widespread Symptoms and Treatment
Systemic Contact Dermatitis
Systemic contact dermatitis is an uncommon type of dermatitis that occurs after ingesting, inhaling, or injecting an offending substance. The rash often covers large areas of the body and can cause swelling. Systemic contact dermatitis can develop after a bout of allergic contact dermatitis.
Systemic Contact Dermatitis ExampleHere’s an example of how systemic contact dermatitis works:Someone develops allergic contact dermatitis from topical application of a skincare product containing balsam of Peru.At any time later on, dermatitis can develop if food containing balsam of Peru (also a fairly common flavoring ingredient) is ingested.Not everyone who is topically sensitized to balsam of Peru needs to avoid food that contains balsam of Peru; if you are sensitized to Balsam of Peru, ask your healthcare provider about whether you need to avoid foods that contain it.
Systemic Contact Dermatitis Example
Here’s an example of how systemic contact dermatitis works:Someone develops allergic contact dermatitis from topical application of a skincare product containing balsam of Peru.At any time later on, dermatitis can develop if food containing balsam of Peru (also a fairly common flavoring ingredient) is ingested.Not everyone who is topically sensitized to balsam of Peru needs to avoid food that contains balsam of Peru; if you are sensitized to Balsam of Peru, ask your healthcare provider about whether you need to avoid foods that contain it.
Here’s an example of how systemic contact dermatitis works:
Not everyone who is topically sensitized to balsam of Peru needs to avoid food that contains balsam of Peru; if you are sensitized to Balsam of Peru, ask your healthcare provider about whether you need to avoid foods that contain it.
Most cases of contact dermatitis do not progress or cause serious health issues. That said, there is a small risk of complications.
Infection
The most common complication of contact dermatitis is infection. Broken skin, either from scratching or from the dermatitis rash, opens the skin up for bacterial contamination, such asStaphor Strep.
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Contact dermatitis can lead topost-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This is darkening or discoloration of the skin due to an inflammatory response. You’ll notice the discoloration after the contact dermatitis has healed.
Not everyone is prone to developing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and it is more likely to develop after a severe bout of contact dermatitis.
Some cases of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation fade away on their own over time. Others can be permanent. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is not harmful, but you can talk with your practitioner about treatment if the appearance bothers you.
Most cases of contact dermatitis will heal on their own within about 3 weeks —as long as you avoid the substance that caused the rash. If the rash is healing well and isn’t too uncomfortable, there’s no need for medical treatment.
You should see a healthcare provider if your rash is:
You may need to see a medical professional even if you don’t have complications if:
Contact Dermatitis: When Symptoms Start and Could End
A Word From Verywell
Contact dermatitis is a very common skin issue, and in the majority of cases it’s not serious and clears up on its own. Still, it can be a frustrating problem to have. The itching, burning, and discomfort can impact your life, even if it’s short-term.
You might feel that your contact dermatitis, especially a chronic case, can be embarrassing if it’s on obvious places like your hands or your face. The good news is that contact dermatitis can, in most cases, be easily treated. If you aren’t able to get it under control with home care, don’t hesitate to call your healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked QuestionsSymptoms may appear in a matter of hours or up to 10 days after coming into contact with an allergen trigger.Learn More12 Causes of Hand RashesMost contact dermatitis cases heal on their own, but if it is particularly itchy, a topical corticosteroid cream can ease the itch. Home remedies like oatmeal baths and cool compresses may also help. Over-the-counter hydrocortisone (a weak topical corticosteroid) is often insufficient; in these cases, you should see a healthcare provider. Oral steroids may also be prescribed if the rash does not respond to topical medication.
Symptoms may appear in a matter of hours or up to 10 days after coming into contact with an allergen trigger.Learn More12 Causes of Hand Rashes
Symptoms may appear in a matter of hours or up to 10 days after coming into contact with an allergen trigger.
Learn More12 Causes of Hand Rashes
Most contact dermatitis cases heal on their own, but if it is particularly itchy, a topical corticosteroid cream can ease the itch. Home remedies like oatmeal baths and cool compresses may also help. Over-the-counter hydrocortisone (a weak topical corticosteroid) is often insufficient; in these cases, you should see a healthcare provider. Oral steroids may also be prescribed if the rash does not respond to topical medication.
Causes of Contact Dermatitis
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Contact Dermatitis: Signs and Symptoms.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Contact dermatitis.Cleveland Clinic.Contact dermatitis.Additional ReadingAquino M, Rosner G.Systemic Contact Dermatitis.Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology.2019 Feb;56(1):9-18. doi:10.1007/s12016-018-8686-zMowad CM, Anderson B, Scheinman P, Pootongkam S, Nedorost S, Brod B.Allergic Contact Dermatitis: Patient Management and Education.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatolgy.2016 Jun;74(6):1043-54. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.02.1144Pelletier JL, Perez C, Jacob SE.Contact Dermatitis in Pediatrics.Pediatric Annals.2016 Aug 1;45(8):e287-92. doi:10.3928/19382359-20160720-06Rashid RS, Shim TN.Contact Dermatitis.BMJ.2016 Jun 30;353:i3299. doi:10.1136/bmj.i3299
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Contact Dermatitis: Signs and Symptoms.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Contact dermatitis.Cleveland Clinic.Contact dermatitis.Additional ReadingAquino M, Rosner G.Systemic Contact Dermatitis.Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology.2019 Feb;56(1):9-18. doi:10.1007/s12016-018-8686-zMowad CM, Anderson B, Scheinman P, Pootongkam S, Nedorost S, Brod B.Allergic Contact Dermatitis: Patient Management and Education.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatolgy.2016 Jun;74(6):1043-54. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.02.1144Pelletier JL, Perez C, Jacob SE.Contact Dermatitis in Pediatrics.Pediatric Annals.2016 Aug 1;45(8):e287-92. doi:10.3928/19382359-20160720-06Rashid RS, Shim TN.Contact Dermatitis.BMJ.2016 Jun 30;353:i3299. doi:10.1136/bmj.i3299
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Contact Dermatitis: Signs and Symptoms.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Contact dermatitis.Cleveland Clinic.Contact dermatitis.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Contact Dermatitis: Signs and Symptoms.
American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Contact dermatitis.
Cleveland Clinic.Contact dermatitis.
Aquino M, Rosner G.Systemic Contact Dermatitis.Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology.2019 Feb;56(1):9-18. doi:10.1007/s12016-018-8686-zMowad CM, Anderson B, Scheinman P, Pootongkam S, Nedorost S, Brod B.Allergic Contact Dermatitis: Patient Management and Education.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatolgy.2016 Jun;74(6):1043-54. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.02.1144Pelletier JL, Perez C, Jacob SE.Contact Dermatitis in Pediatrics.Pediatric Annals.2016 Aug 1;45(8):e287-92. doi:10.3928/19382359-20160720-06Rashid RS, Shim TN.Contact Dermatitis.BMJ.2016 Jun 30;353:i3299. doi:10.1136/bmj.i3299
Aquino M, Rosner G.Systemic Contact Dermatitis.Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology.2019 Feb;56(1):9-18. doi:10.1007/s12016-018-8686-z
Mowad CM, Anderson B, Scheinman P, Pootongkam S, Nedorost S, Brod B.Allergic Contact Dermatitis: Patient Management and Education.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatolgy.2016 Jun;74(6):1043-54. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2015.02.1144
Pelletier JL, Perez C, Jacob SE.Contact Dermatitis in Pediatrics.Pediatric Annals.2016 Aug 1;45(8):e287-92. doi:10.3928/19382359-20160720-06
Rashid RS, Shim TN.Contact Dermatitis.BMJ.2016 Jun 30;353:i3299. doi:10.1136/bmj.i3299
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
