Contact dermatitis is inflammation of the skin resulting from exposure or contact with an irritant or allergen that either irritates your skin or triggers an allergic response. Symptoms include itching, redness, swelling, oozing, scaling and the presence of a rash, often occur in exposed area.

The irritating or allergy-causing substance varies indivually. The common cause of allergic contact dermatitis could be soap, detergent, cosmetics, fragrance, poison ivy, nickels, paint, rubber, chromates, pollen, sunlight, etc.

In initial (acute) severe cases, the skin gets red, itchy, swollen, and develops tiny blisters, which may break and leave crusts and scales. The skin becomes thick, red, and scaly with long-term (chronic) exposure to an allergen. Later the skin may darken and become leathery and cracked. Allergic contact dermatitis can be difficult to distinguish from other rashes

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