Irritant dermatitis is the most common type. It's caused by contact with acids, alkaline materials such as soaps and detergents, fabric softeners, solvents, or other chemicals. The reaction usually looks like a burn. Other irritants may include:
Cement
Hair dyes
Long-term exposure to wet diapers
Pesticides or weed killers
Rubber gloves
Shampoos
Allergic contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to a substance or material to which you have become extra sensitive or allergic.
Common allergens include:
Adhesives, including those used for false eyelashes or toupees
Antibiotics such as neomycin rubbed on the surface of the skin
Balsam of Peru (used in many personal products and cosmetics, as well as in many foods and drinks)
Fabrics and clothing
Fragrances in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, and moisturizers
Nail polish, hair dyes, and permanent wave solutions
Nickel or other metals (found in jewelelry, watch straps, metal zips, bra hooks, buttons, pocketknives, lipstick holders, and powder compacts)
Poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and other plants
Rubber or latex gloves or shoes
Although you may not have a reaction to a substance when you are first exposed to it, regular use can eventually cause sensitivity and a reaction to the product.
Some products cause a reaction only when the skin is also exposed to sunlight (photosensitivity). These include shaving lotions, sunscreens, sulfa ointments, some perfumes, coal tar products, and oil from the skin of a lime. A few airborne allergens, such as ragweed or insecticide spray, can cause contact dermatitis.
What causes Contact Dermatitis?
Irritant dermatitis is the most common type. It's caused by contact with acids, alkaline materials such as soaps and detergents, fabric softeners, solvents, or other chemicals. The reaction usually looks like a burn. Other irritants may include:
Cement
Hair dyes
Long-term exposure to wet diapers
Pesticides or weed killers
Rubber gloves
Shampoos
Allergic contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to a substance or material to which you have become extra sensitive or allergic.
Common allergens include:
Adhesives, including those used for false eyelashes or toupees
Antibiotics such as neomycin rubbed on the surface of the skin
{{NAME}} of Peru (used in many personal products and cosmetics, as well as in many foods and drinks)
Fabrics and clothing
Fragrances in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, and moisturizers
Nail polish, hair dyes, and permanent wave solutions
Nickel or other metals (found in jewelelry, watch straps, metal zips, bra hooks, buttons, pocketknives, lipstick holders, and powder compacts)
Poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and other plants
Rubber or latex gloves or shoes
Although you may not have a reaction to a substance when you are first exposed to it, regular use can eventually cause sensitivity and a reaction to the product.
Some products cause a reaction only when the skin is also exposed to sunlight (photosensitivity). These include shaving lotions, sunscreens, sulfa ointments, some perfumes, coal tar products, and oil from the skin of a lime. A few airborne allergens, such as ragweed or insecticide spray, can cause contact dermatitis.