Contact dermatitis is an inflammatory reaction of the skin to contact with the stimulus.The incidence of this disease is increasing every year, especially in developed countries.
According to experts, this phenomenon is caused by the mass use in the home of active detergents, by adding to cosmetic products and medicines of a large number of chemical ingredients, the use of new industrial reagents for production purposes.
In this regard, the issue of treating contact dermatitis is very relevant to date.
Causes
Why does contact dermatitis occur, and what is it? The main cause of this dermatitis is considered to be an increased reaction of the body to allergens and other irritants. The lesion focus, as a rule, is initially located at the site of the effect of the irritating factor. However, in the future, as the allergen accumulates in the body, the symptoms of contact dermatitis begin to appear on any part of the body.
The most common stimuliare:
- alloys of nickel, copper, chromium, cobalt;
- latex and rubber, synthetic materials for clothing;
- plants (citrus fruits, some flowers, coniferous trees, lichens, onions and garlic, celery, etc.);
- cosmetic products and household chemicals, or more precisely - their preservatives, flavorings, chemical compounds, surfactants;
- adhesives, varnishes, waxes, paints, sealants, etc .;
- external medicines, especially creams containing corticosteroids, antibiotics, NSAIDs, anesthetics, antimycotics, etc.
Very often the symptoms of contact dermatitis (see Fig. photo) appear after the interaction of the skin with alkalis, dyes, acids, sun rays and other chemical preparations. Often the impetus to the emergence of dermatitis is the biological factor (viruses, microbes, fungi).
Classification
There are several types of disease:
- Simple contact dermatitisdevelops due to the influence of the skin irritant (acids, alkalis and other chemicals). Allergic contact dermatitis. Symptoms of the disease develop due to a delayed allergic reaction, that is, the first contact with the stimulus causes the production of specific complexes of antibodies (the phase of sensitization), which lead to inflammatory processes on the skin after repeated interaction with the same allergen (phase of clinical manifestation). The area of inflammation usually exceeds the size of the contact zone with the allergen.
- Phototoxic contact dermatitis- a disease that occurs when exposed to the skin of the ultraviolet. It should be noted that this form of the disease is most difficult to diagnose, since its signs appear after contact with the stimulus.
A skin reaction may occur in response to the action of any substance. In the development of the disease, the critical role is played not by the nature of the stimulus, but by the individual sensitivity to it of each person.
Allergic contact dermatitis
This is an allergic reaction of a delayed type. Skin antigen (allergen) is captured by specialized process cells of the epidermis - Langerhans cells, in which it is partially cleaved and binds to class II HLA molecules. Langerhans cells migrate from the epidermis to the regional lymph nodes, where the presentation of the antigen to T lymphocytes takes place.
T-lymphocytes are sensitized, proliferated and transferred from the lymph nodes to the blood. Thus, the entire skin becomes sensitized to the given antigen. T-lymphocytes themselves release cytokines and act on other cells that also produce cytokines when they meet with the same antigen.
Allergic dermatitis is affected only by sensitized people. The amount of stimulus is almost irrelevant, and the severity of the disease is determined by the degree of sensitization.
With simple contact dermatitis, the rash is located at the site of the stimulus. Allergic dermatitis begins with the area of contact, then captures the surrounding skin and often extends to distant parts of the body. There is generalized skin damage.
Symptoms of contact dermatitis
In the case of contact dermatitis in adults, the severity of symptoms depends on the type of illness (simple or allergic) and the nature of the course (acute or chronic).
For the acute form of dermatitis, the following symptoms are characteristic:
- itching, burning and swelling of the skin;
- inflammation and redness of the integument;
- covering tissues with papules, blisters, erosions;
- formation of crusts followed by desquamation.
Symptoms of contact dermatitis are manifested either locally, if, for example, an adornment appears as an irritant, or on a large area. The latter situation is possible with the use of a body lotion that is intolerable to the skin due to individual characteristics.
In the chronic course of the process, the skin becomes covered with knotlike elements, scaly and itchy. In advanced cases, there is an increase in the skin pattern. Hypersensitivity to allergens causes the person to comb the skin. After direct contact with the stimulus, a feeling of heat may occur with an increase in local temperature, that is, in the lesion focus.
In the hands of contact dermatitis - a photo of which will be shown below, develops in cashiers in contact with coins. Nickel, which is contained in them, causes allergies on the fingers. In the pharmaceutical industry, the skin of the hands suffers from constant interaction with powders of medicinal products.
Contact dermatitis: photos
Below, you can look at the photo to find out how contact dermatitis looks on the hands and other frequent bodies.
Preventive measures
Prevention for allergic and simple contact dermatitis is to eliminate contact with provoking agents. To prevent exposure to irritants or strong allergens, certain precautions can be taken.
It is very useful to use protective clothing. Also there are so-called "protective creams", which are used to limit contact with irritants and, possibly, allergens.
Treatment of contact dermatitis
Therapy of the disease in adults is complex, and is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Getting rid of irritating factors, and in case of impossibility - a decrease in the degree of their influence.
- Symptomatic therapy of the disease.
- Treatment of associated infections and diseases associated with skin lesions.
- Hypoallergenic diet.
In the development of simple contact dermatitis, first of all, you should identify and eliminate the irritant, and, if necessary, use gloves and protective clothing. Before proceeding to treatment, the skin should be thoroughly cleaned and washed.
After eliminating the allergen, the disease is resolved by itself, only in rare cases for the treatment of a contact dermatitis appointed special potent cream and ointments, which contain glucocorticoids.
- In the case of severe itching with contact dermatitis due to the allergen, it is advisable to use antihistamines.
- If abrasions appear on the skin, doctors usually recommend lubricating the skin in the area of inflammation with a paste containing zinc or its compounds. At diaper rims, it is also possible to lubricate the area with zinc-containing paste.
The detection of an allergen is not an easy task, which sometimes takes some time. That is why the patient undergoes an application test, with the help of which it is possible to determine the stimulus, which will help to quickly carry out the treatment and achieve the desired results.
How to treat folk remedies
With contact dermatitis, treatment with folk remedies can not always succeed. To try alternative medicine it is possible only, at weak displays of defeat, on local sites.
The following folk recipes are known:
- Decoction of celandine and marigold. For its preparation, take 4 tablespoons of each component. Dry raw materials are mixed, poured a glass of water and cooked in a water bath for 10 minutes. Ready-made broth is cooled, filtered and wiped by them inflamed skin. The product has a drying and disinfecting effect.
- Also itch helps welldecoction or infusion of geranium(three teaspoons of a dry leaf for two glasses of hot water);
- If the rash is accompanied by severe itching, you canto wipe the skin with hypoallergenic vegetable juices(cucumber, potato).
- As a universal skin cleanser, you can usethree-color violet grass. It can be taken orally in the form of infusion or make lotions (using the same infusion).
The doctor selects the treatment scheme individually for each patient, taking into account the age and features of the immune system of the diseased organism. Children need special attention and careful approach.
How to choose probiotics for the intestine: a list of drugs.
Effective and inexpensive cough syrups for children and adults.
Modern non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Review of tablets from the increased pressure of the new generation.
Antiviral drugs are inexpensive and effective.
