Allergic Contact Dermatitis occurs when you skin comes in contact with an allergen that your

skin is sensitive or allergic to.  The reaction usually appears within 48 hours after the inital

exposure to the allergen.  Symptoms that are commonly seen include the following: redness, swelling, blistering, itching and weeping.  The allergen can be a substance in a product that you

have used for many years; it does not have to be a new product.  Allergic Contact Dermatitis

occurs more commonly in adults.  The most common types of Allergic Contact Dermatitis are

allergies to poison ivy and poison oak.

 

Whether or not you are allergic to something is determined by your genes.  Many people

believe that you cannot be allergic to a product that you have used everyday for many years.

This is not true.  At any time your skin can become allergic to one of the specific substances

in the product, even though you have used it for a long time.  Often, a rash may break out

on your face even though an allergen did not directly come in contact with your face.  If you get something on your hands that you are allergic to and then touch your face, the allergen can

cause a reaction on the face even though there is no reaction on your hands.  This is because

the skin on our hands is thicker than that of our face, especially around the eyelids.

 

You have to discontinue all products that you have been using on the exposed area and only

use the treatment we prescribe for you.  It is important that you return for an appointment at the

end of your one to two week treatment.  If overused, the medication can cause permanent

thinning of the skin.  When you come for the second visit, if all is going well, we will then taper

down to a weaker medication.  Two weeks after your symptoms have cleared, we can begin the search for the chemical that you are allergic to by re-introducing the products you were using

prior to your reaction, one at a time, one week apart.  It is often best to do a small test area

first.  If you have a good idea what you are allergic to, you simply try to avoid it in the future and

you should not have any further problems.  If your problem persists and we are unable to

determine the cause, we may recommend patch testing.