Dermatita alergică de contact

Contact dermatitis is a common dermatological condition characterized by erythematous and pruritic skin lesions that occur after contact with a foreign substance. There are two forms of contact dermatitis: irritant and allergic. Irritant contact dermatitis is caused by the non-immune-modulated irritation of the skin by a substance, irritation caused by chemical or physical agents. Allergic contact dermatitis is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction (type IV) in which a foreign substance comes into contact with the skin; skin inflammation occurs after reexposure to the substance. The diagnosis of a contact allergy represents a very important step in managing patients suffering from dermatitis; besides patch testing, which is the gold standard to identify contact allergens, other skin-testing methods may be required.