Alongside efficient therapy, Swiss Derma Clinic sets great store by drawing up a personalized care and protection plan for the long-term elimination of dermatitis.
Jewellery, cosmetics, shampoo, hair dye, disinfectant, detergents and various building materials may contain substances that irritate your skin.
Contact dermatitis can appear as allergic or irritant dermatitis. Allergic dermatitis may arise within a few days after initial contact, or perhaps only weeks after constant or repeated contact with a certain allergen. It’s often triggered by preservatives, fragrances, dyes and metals.
Irritant dermatitis is an excessive skin irritation usually affecting the hands. Common causes of hand eczema include detergents and solvents as well as frequently washing your hands.
To identify the cause, patients undergo a detailed interview and examination as well as skin tests (epicutaneous or patch test).
Contact dermatitis (contact eczema) is a reaction of the skin to certain substances. It can manifest itself in the form of inflammation, pustules, reddening of the skin or itching. Contact dermatitis is very common. Almost every fifth Swiss person has had contact dermatitis at least once. The triggers for contact dermatitis are as varied as they are individual. Very common are reactions to costume jewellery such as nickel, ingredients of cosmetics, perfumes, hair dyes, certain plastics (latex) or chemical substances of all kinds.
Contact dermatitis can also be triggered by allergens, in which case it is called allergic contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis caused by allergens presents itself either a few days after the first contact with the trigger or only after weeks to months, in case of continuous contact with a trigger.
Common allergens that lead to allergic contact dermatitis are:
Another form of contact dermatitis is irritant contact dermatitis. This is caused by strong and usually prolonged stress on the skin and not by an allergy. Irritant contact dermatitis is by far more common than allergic contact dermatitis.
Common triggers of irritant contact dermatitis:
Contact dermatitis manifests itself, for example, through the following symptoms:
A specialist (dermatologist) should make the definite diagnosis as to whether contact dermatitis is present. At the Swiss Derma Clinic in Zurich, we examine our patients comprehensively. We take your individual medical history and carry out all relevant tests. This may include allergy tests and special blood tests, for example. In order to be able to make a reliable diagnosis, we also ask about cleaning agents used, whether you work with chemical substances or building materials, what creams you use and what medications you take.
The appearance of the eczema and the affected areas of the body also provide us with important clues for diagnosis. For example, it is possible that a certain piece of clothing or a necklace has triggered the contact dermatitis. In addition, substances that have only come into contact with the skin unknowingly must also be taken into account.
Individual skin care advice and a protective concept are part of the treatment of contact dermatitis. As well as a comprehensive examination and various skin tests (epicutaneous test, patch test). As a rule, the diagnosis can be made quickly and the cause reliably identified. The treatment of contact dermatitis is usually done with special ointments, also with extemporaneous preparations, which are made individually for you in the pharmacy. These often contain a mild corticosteroid that quickly and reliably reduces the inflammation and the associated itching.
In addition, it is important to restore the skin's protective barrier. This is possible with a suitable skin care that can continue to be used even after the symptoms have subsided.
If there is very pronounced inflammation and allergies, we can also use antihistamines or immune-regulating drugs for a limited period of time. In most cases, the symptoms improve significantly within a few days and disappear completely in the following weeks. Since the beginning of the corona pandemic, the hands have very often been affected by contact dermatitis. Adapted hand care, mild surfactants and soaps as well as wound-healing lotions provide quick relief here.
If at all possible, you should consistently avoid the triggers of your contact dermatitis. Of course, this presupposes that you already know them. Furthermore, a functioning and intact skin barrier is important so that your skin can reliably protect itself from damaging and irritating substances. Look for skin care that is free from conventional preservatives, from colourants and fragrances. The type of lipids and moisturising factors also play an important role. At the Swiss Derma Clinic in Zurich, we specialise in providing sound advice on skin care products.
If you work with problematic substances such as paints (including hair dyes), surfactants or building materials such as cement, make sure you wear suitable gloves and have good skin protection to reduce the risk of contact eczema.
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