Medically reviewed by Dr. A.M. van Coevorden, dermatologist
Contact eczema is a rash on the skin (eczema) caused by contact with certain substances. There are two types: allergic contact eczema and irritant contact eczema. Sometimes both occur at the same time.
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There are different forms, each with its own cause.
The cause is an allergic reaction to a certain substance, the allergen. You only get this if earlier skin contact has made you allergic to that substance. Once you are allergic, a small amount is enough to cause symptoms. A contact allergy often lasts a lifetime.
You get eczema from irritation, for example from water, soap, washing-up liquid, rubbing or cold. Anyone can get this. Frequent contact with water makes it develop faster and more severely. This is not an allergic reaction.
Sometimes allergic contact eczema only develops when the allergen reaches the skin together with light. This can happen with a sunscreen or a perfume, for example.
You see red skin with small bumps, blisters and flakes. Sometimes the blisters leak and the skin becomes wet. The skin itches. The eczema appears where the substance touches the skin. That is where the reaction is often worst. Sometimes you also get eczema on the surrounding skin. Allergic contact eczema can even spread to other parts of the body, but this is rare.
No. Neither allergic nor irritant contact eczema is contagious to other people.
Contact eczema is also not hereditary. People with a hereditary predisposition to eczema, asthma and/or hay fever are somewhat more likely to develop contact eczema or to have it more severely.
The number of substances that can cause a contact allergy is very large. The most common contact allergens are in the European standard series:
Your dermatologist can carry out tests on your skin to find out which substances you are allergic to. The substances are applied to the back in small chambers with plasters and removed 2 days later. The reaction is checked on the 3rd, the 4th and sometimes the 7th day. Testing is almost always done with the European standard series. A test is positive if the substance causes eczema at the site where it was applied.
Eczema can trouble you for a long time. If you avoid the substances you are allergic to, the symptoms can lessen or disappear completely.
Avoid contact with the substance you are allergic to. To prevent irritant contact eczema you can:
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No. Neither allergic nor irritant contact eczema is contagious to other people.
A contact allergy often lasts a lifetime. If you avoid the substance you are allergic to, the symptoms can lessen or disappear completely.
In a patch test, your dermatologist applies small chambers with possible allergens to your back. They are removed after 2 days, and the reaction is checked on the 3rd, 4th and sometimes 7th day. A test is positive if the substance causes eczema at that spot.
Yes. Some occupations carry a higher risk, including hairdressing, cleaning, nursing, metalworking and food processing. Wet work is the main cause of irritant contact eczema.
No. Terms like hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested or pH-neutral do not mean you cannot get eczema from a product. You can be allergic to such a product too.
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If more is needed, the dermatologist refers you to a medical specialist.
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