Contact dermatitis is when something comes into contact with your skin that causes you to break out in a rash. Contact dermatitis refers to anything that causes this to happen and can include allergic reactions, such as a poison ivy breakout.
As such, there are many different possible causes of contact dermatitis, and it may be necessary to determine the cause before you can begin treatment. However, some treatments, such as ointments and creams, can help with all forms of contact dermatitis. The rash that stems from your dermatitis can last anywhere from several days to several weeks or months, depending on the cause and how severely you react.
If you start showing signs of contact dermatitis, such as a rash, itchiness, pain, or inflammation around the rash, you should call your doctor. It is important to have your rash checked out to ensure it is not something more serious. After your diagnosis, your doctor can prescribe the best course of treatment to get rid of your contact dermatitis.
Contact dermatitis is when something comes into contact with your skin that causes you to break out in a rash. Contact dermatitis refers to anything that causes this to happen and can include allergic reactions, such as a poison ivy breakout.
As such, there are many different possible causes of contact dermatitis, and it may be necessary to determine the cause before you can begin treatment. However, some treatments, such as ointments and creams, can help with all forms of contact dermatitis. The rash that stems from your dermatitis can last anywhere from several days to several weeks or months, depending on the cause and how severely you react.
If you start showing signs of contact dermatitis, such as a rash, itchiness, pain, or inflammation around the rash, you should call your doctor. It is important to have your rash checked out to ensure it is not something more serious. After your diagnosis, your doctor can prescribe the best course of treatment to get rid of your contact dermatitis.
Apart from avoidance, steroid creams and ointments are the main treatments for contact dermatitis. Steroid creams, which are steroids such as prednisone and cortisol in cream form, get rubbed onto the skin and reduce itch, pain, and inflammation. The contents of the steroid cream can make life much more manageable and less irritable until your contact dermatitis goes away.
If your contact dermatitis is due to an allergic reaction, you must take antihistamines. Antihistamines, such as azelastine or hydroxyzine, are medications that combat your body’s reaction to something it is allergic to. This includes reducing itchiness and inflammation, as well as taking away your rash.
Antihistamines work by reducing the amount of histamine your body produces. Histamine is a self-defence mechanism that your body releases when you come into contact with something you are allergic to. While this is helpful in the short term, histamine is what causes your allergic reaction. Therefore, antihistamine is necessary to reduce any leftover histamine so your body can recover from allergic reactions.
In most cases, your contact dermatitis will go away eventually, whether you receive medical treatment or not. However, the itchy and irritable symptoms you experience might just drive you crazy if you do not do something for them. Luckily, a few home remedies can ease your symptoms and make them more manageable.
While most cases of contact dermatitis resolve on their own, they can cause serious complications in rare situations. For instance, if your contact dermatitis is because of a severe allergic reaction, it can result in anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock. When this happens, your throat swells shut, and you are unable to breathe, potentially resulting in suffocation.
Even if you have a mild case of contact dermatitis, you should see a doctor. Steroid creams and antihistamines will take away your condition much faster than at-home remedies, and you will not be nearly as miserable, either.