Dermatitis - Causes, symptoms and treatment. MF.

Dermatitis is any inflammation of the skin caused by the action of external stimuli. Immediately it is necessary to note a small confusion in the terminology. Dermatitis often refers to inflammation in the skin as a result of the influence of any factor, both external and internal. Therefore, any dermatitis should be accompanied by a definition( atopic, seborrheic).In this article, we discuss only dermatitis arising from the effects of environmental factors.

The causes of dermatitis

The most common physical factors are mechanical irritation, such as skin friction or pressure on it, as well as exposure to sunlight, high and low temperatures, etc. Dermatitis is also rarely caused by chemical agents with which a person meets in theirEveryday life. These are obligate irritants that cause skin damage in any person, and optional, causing dermatitis in persons with hypersensitivity to a particular substance. Simply put, this means personal hygiene, and detergents, and, of course, an essential section of lacquer-colored and oily substances that people face in everyday life and at work.

To dermatitis caused by environmental factors, it is necessary to refer: abrasion, calligraphy, diaper rash, photodermatitis, radiation dermatitis, dermatitis from electric shock, burns, fever, frostbite and allergic dermatitis.

Regardless of the factor that causes skin damage, all the dermatitis is characterized by the corresponding signs: the outline of the lesion and localization are clearly limited by the area to which it was exposed, as well as the rapid resolution of the lesion after removal of the stimulus.

Symptoms of dermatitis

The development of dermatitis has a natural passage of three stages of its development. The acute stage is accompanied by the appearance of bubbles containing a liquid of various sizes. In the absence of timely initiated care, a subacute stage occurs, in which scales and crusts form. And already at a chronic stage the thickening of a skin is marked and reddening gets the sated dark red color with a violet shade.

Symptoms of dermatitis from wearing a ring

Symptoms of contact dermatitis from a musical instrument

Symptoms of contact dermatitis from a buckle

Symptoms of dermatitis from a plant

Symptoms of contact dermatitis due to friction of clothes

Symptoms of dermatitis when refreshed

Diagnosis of dermatitis

For the diagnosis of dermatitis, a blood test is necessary. The patient must pass an empty blood test on an empty stomach. With allergic dermatitis, there is often an increase in leukocyte cells - eosinophils. To exclude the attachment of mycotic skin lesions, a microscopic examination and sowing of the flakes of the affected skin on pathogenic fungi is carried out. With allergic dermatitis, various allergological tests are performed. Most often in this case, indicative cutaneous samples. Often, the allergic nature of the irritant factor is judged by an elevated IgE level in the blood.

A dermatologist or an allergist can and should evaluate the results of these examinations. Therefore, when itching, blisters and reddening of the skin is necessary as soon as possible to consult a specialist - dermatologist for timely diagnosis and the appointment of appropriate treatment. Otherwise, you can not timely diagnose diseases that often have a similar picture with dermatitis. It is about erythrodermia and toxicermis, for which emergency medical measures should be applied.

Treatment of dermatitis

It is logical that the treatment of all dermatitis should begin with the elimination of irritating factor. External therapy depends on the severity of the process and the nature of the elements of the rash.

In acute processes characterized by the presence of bubbles and erosive surfaces, wet-drying dressings with herbal decoctions or 3% aqueous solution of boric acid( per 100 ml of water 3 g of boric acid powder) are used. There is a certain methodology for carrying out these procedures. Decoction of herbs, prepared according to the instructions indicated on the box, is cooled to room temperature. Gauze Napkin, folded in 6-8 layers, is moistened in a decoction, wrung out and applied for 15 minutes to the damaged part of the skin. Thus, the procedure is repeated for one and a half hours, followed by a break for 3 hours. During the day, wet-drying dressings with herbal decoctions should be repeated 2-3 times.

When attaching a secondary infection that can be diagnosed by the presence of characteristic honey-yellow crusts on the surface of erosion, as well as by the appearance of turbid contents in the blisters, the covers of these blisters must be opened with subsequent application of a bandage with antibacterial ointments, such as "Levomikol" ointment or 10%"Synthomycin emulsion", for 12 hours 2 times a day.

Desensitizing and antihistamines, such as Loratadine, Eryus, are routinely used in the treatment of itching dermatitis, at standard therapeutic doses, as well as 10% calcium gluconate solution 10 ml every other day intramuscularly, 5 times. It is recommended to use a hypoallergenic diet for the duration of treatment, with the exception of obligatory allergens from the diet( such substances that can cause reactions in persons not prone to allergy during cumulation( accumulation)).Such products include coffee, chocolate, citrus, chicken, fish, eggs.

With reddening and thickening of the skin, emollients are applied, such as Elidel cream, 2 times a day. And also moisturizing creams from numerous dermatological lines, such as "Urjazh" - "Kemoz", "Aven" - "Trikzera", up to 5-6 times a day, especially after contact with water.

Skin care, exposed to irritant, should be very gentle. When washing, use should be made of products that do not damage the hydro-lipid mantle of the skin. To do this, special gels and soaps from the "Bioderma" and "Uryazh" series are purchased in the pharmacy network: "Cu-Zn" or "H2O-Sensobi".

Occasionally, in especially neglected cases of dermatitis, hormonal creams are used. However, these remedies should not be used by the patient on their own, without the supervision of a doctor, as long-term use can cause atrophy( thinning) of the skin. And the more so you can not use these funds on the face skin.

Corticosteroids can cause skin atrophy, especially on the face, and the use of local antibiotics is fraught with the formation of resistance to bacteria and the development of allergies, so treatment of dermatitis should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor with strict adherence to dosage and course of treatment.

After stabilization of the process, careful treatment of the skin is recommended: do not expose it to excessive UV exposure. To do this, you need to use special cosmetic products with an SPF factor of more than 50.

Folk remedies for dermatitis

In the complex treatment of dermatitis, external use of folk remedies is possible. This has already been discussed above. Broths of herbs very well relieve acute inflammation in the skin. However, it must be understood that not with all elements of the rash they can be used. To achieve the desired effect, it is necessary to follow a certain regime of this procedure. It must be remembered that not all herbs can be used. Broths of some plants can aggravate the picture of the disease, thus causing an additional allergic skin reaction. The treatment of dermatitis should use the most hypoallergenic herbs. Such an approach should primarily be used in nursing children, since the individual tolerance of a plant is not usually known. For external treatment of dermatitis, the following plant components are considered to be the most suitable: oak bark, string, celandine, chamomile.

In cases of skin ulceration, self-medication is unacceptable, as it leads to necrotic tissue damage followed by scar formation. It is necessary urgently to address to the expert, for purpose or appointment of corresponding or meeting treatment. In addition, funds can be prescribed that stimulate regenerative processes( 10% methyluracil ointment, Vishnevsky ointment, etc.)

Doctor's consultation on dermatitis:

1. Is dermatitis not contagious?
No, this dermatitis is not contagious, but to avoid joining a secondary infection, skin scrapings must be taken for mycological examination.

2. Is contact dermatitis transmitted by inheritance?
Of all dermatitis caused by external factors, only allergic dermatitis can be inherited.

3. Is it possible to re-use the irritating factor( chains, belt with buckle, rings) that caused dermatitis, after normalizing the skin condition?
Contact dermatitis will be repeated almost every time it comes into contact with an irritant.

4. Can contact dermatitis develop into a systemic allergic disease, such as Bronchial asthma?
No, it can not, only atopic dermatitis grows into bronchial asthma.

Doctor-dermatovenerologist, Tatiana Kuklina