Considering that allergic dermatitis is a skin disease, it is often difficult to make a clear distinction between allergic, toxic, infectious or irritative forms: skin lesions, associated with the weakening of the immune defenses and bacterial infections, in fact, represent factors which lay the groundwork for possible allergic dermatitis.
Especially in infants (but not only) allergic eczema can express the dermal reaction deriving from the presence of a food allergy. However, in the course of this article, the main aspects and possible treatments of allergic eczema that is triggered by skin contact with certain substances will be considered. In these cases, therefore, it is more correct to speak of allergic contact dermatitis.
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After the first contact between the skin and the allergen, the immune cells do sensitize and recognize the allergen more quickly when further contact occurs; the result is the typical manifestation of allergic dermatitis, with skin redness, swelling and itching. In a first exposure to the allergen, the sensitive subject could also manifest allergic dermatitis after a week, while at the second contact (in which the cells are already sensitized) the allergy can arise in much shorter periods, even after only one day: in fact, with each further contact with the allergen, the onset of dermatitis allergic is earlier.
In some particularly sensitive subjects, allergic dermatitis can also appear in areas very far from the contact area.
;The lesions can be confined to the affected area, but they can also spread to other parts, sometimes extending into generalized areas.
In fact, although the lesions tend to occur in the areas that come into direct contact with the substance that triggers the allergy, in some cases, the skin reaction can also extend to the surrounding areas.
For further information: Symptoms Contact allergyHistory of symptoms
As we have seen, allergic dermatitis, following a first contact with the allergen, can also manifest itself several days later: the clinical picture begins with an inflammation of the affected area, followed by redness and an annoying itch, an element in common. to all the various forms of dermatitis.
The condition can progress with the appearance of vesicles and bubbles which, when bursting, create crusts and unsightly lesions, as well as particularly annoying. Allergic dermatitis could degenerate and become chronic: the skin, consequently, undergoes a transformation, becoming thicker and more resistant, it becomes covered with scales and the pigmentation is more marked.
, a method in which potentially allergenic substances, after dispersion in white vaseline at a known concentration, are placed in contact with the skin for 48 hours, through the use of discs that occlude the skin, supported by patches. Subsequently, two readings are carried out. , after two days each, to give the allergen the necessary time to develop a possible allergic dermatitis: if the area treated with the substances shows redness, swelling, itching and blisters, the test is positive and the subject is allergic to Considering, however, that the reading of the test is rather complex, only the specialist is able to make a correct diagnosis., vomiting, diarrhea, typical of a "food allergy, since the symptoms occur in the skin.
Metals
Metals, in general, are possible allergens, since they are considered a potential danger for the organism.
Nickel and cobalt represent the two types of allergens that cause greater damage, not so much because they manifest allergic dermatitis in a more violent way than other allergens, but because they are two ubiquitous metals: nickel is found, in fact, in costume jewelery, in the usual accessories (for example, in the belts), in the scissors, in the glasses. Cobalt is found in paper, dyes, paints, even some shampoos and cosmetics, inks, nail polishes, disinfectants.
Chromium also represents a danger for sensitive individuals: cement is the main source of this metal (not surprisingly, many workers who work on site often manifest allergic dermatitis).
Allergens of plant origin
In the plant world there are numerous molecules and mixtures of substances capable of triggering different forms of allergic dermatitis in sensitive individuals.
Among the main allergens of plant origin we remember the balsam of Peru, propolis and essential oils: they are ingredients frequently contained within natural cosmetics and detergents and can cause allergic dermatitis of low and medium entity.
, the neck and wrists could represent the preferential site of allergic manifestation. Furthermore, allergic dermatitis could occur in the armpits, due to the composition of the deodorants, or on the hands, the site where the allergic reaction is most common (since it is much more likely that the allergen comes into contact with the epidermis. hands than any other area of the body)., as they have a powerful anti-inflammatory action exerted by modulating the immune response. In some cases, moreover, the doctor may also evaluate the possibility of prescribing the patient to administer oral corticosteroids.
In the presence of allergic dermatitis, natural remedies are not recommended, however, because they are not very effective.
For further information: Drugs for the Treatment of Allergic Dermatitis
