Allergic dermatitis: photos, symptoms and treatment, causes
The disease associated with the reaction of the body to a certain negative factor, manifested by irritation and damage to the skin, similar in signs to acute eczema, is called allergic dermatitis.
Any substance that can cause the body to react with direct contact with the skin can act as an irritant. Such a substance becomes an allergen, in relation to which hypersensitivity or sensitization develops.
And manifestations on the skin do not appear immediately, but after prolonged contact with the allergen, in other words, there is a slow reaction to the stimulus. In the zone of the lesion focus, there is an increased content of immune specific cells that, under the influence of the stimulus, leave the blood channel and move to the pathological part of the body.
This is confirmed by microscopic studies of a patient site in the area of which there are no antibodies, but immune cells of a specific origin. An important role in the fight against the allergen is played by phagocytic cells. They not only absorb allergens and digest them, but also promote the activation of specific cells of immune origin in the contact zone with the allergen.
As a result, all substances are allergen adsorbed and bound by phagocytic cells on their surface. Not only is the digestion of allergens by phagocytes, but also the activation of immune specific cells, which contributes to sensitization. If repeated contact with the stimulus occurs, then to this place many immune cells, familiar with the stimulus and antibodies, rush.
As allergens in adults and children, substances of different chemical structure may act. Most often, the reaction occurs when contacting detergents and washing powders, building materials, cosmetic products, external medicinal products( ointments, gels, creams).
Nickel, chrome, insecticides, antibacterial substances included in the washing powders can lead to an allergic reaction. And the use of cosmetics or external creams can cause allergies, even with a slight ingress to the skin.
Phagocytic cells begin to work and immune cells accumulate in the affected area. If the contact with the allergen repeats repeatedly, then a more violent reaction of the organism is observed. Each time the specific immune cells familiar with the allergen are multiplied many times, entering the zone of injury.
Not only phagocytes but also lymphocytes penetrate the pathological site. As a result, the skin appears a reaction in the form of redness, itching, dilated vessels and small vesicles.
See also, treatment of seborrheic dermatitis on the face.
In many ways, the symptoms of allergic dermatitis resemble the acute phase of eczema.
At the onset of the disease, the skin becomes covered with large red spots on which small bubbles form. Multiple clusters of bubbles lead to the appearance of a wetting surface, as they are constantly bursting and emptying.
As a result, adults and children experience constant pain and discomfort, itching and irritation. Defects of the skin for a long time do not heal, in their place appear crusts and small scales.
This is due to the fact that allergic dermatitis, like any reaction to an allergen, is a disease not of a single part of the body, but of the whole organism. The lesions can be far away from the site of exposure to the allergen. Any area of the body becomes covered with bubbles, spots, nodules appear and puffiness.
In case of applying facial cosmetics, spots may appear in the neck, back, and shoulders. In this case, the patient experiences severe itching, discomfort, disturbing sleep and normal daily life.
See also, symptoms of contact dermatitis.
In the beginning, a diagnosis is established based on patient complaints and visual examination. Always allergic dermatitis is characterized by characteristic symptoms, which allow to presume a diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment. The doctor makes the final decision after passing certain studies.
Allergic tests give a complete picture of the extent of the lesion and the type of allergic reagent. Such examinations are carried out on the condition that the patient is at the stage of recovery and the skin is practically clean. Several points under the skin are injected with certain allergic components, most often causing allergies. One of the test components is sterile water, which should be a neutral breakdown, without causing any manifestations on the skin. By reaction to a certain type of allergen, the sensitivity of the organism to this component is determined.
Usually, the allergic reaction in trial injections is manifested as redness or swelling. Thus, the type of allergen is established, which can provoke an allergic reaction of the whole organism. Such tests play an important role in the treatment strategy and the patient's further behavior.
If the allergic component is associated with production or other work, the physician recommends that you follow precautionary measures or change your occupation. In case of allergic dermatitis, the reaction appears only when one specific reagent is encountered, whereas in eczema the allergy occurs due to contact with different allergic substances.
It is necessary to distinguish allergic dermatitis from toxicodermia, this disease is provoked by food and substances that enter the body. Treatment is appointed by the doctor individually, taking into account the degree of damage, the condition of the patient and the type of allergen. Effective therapy includes desensitizing drugs, in addition, the right diet is selected.
See also, symptoms and treatment of atopic dermatitis.
The cause of dermatitis can be heredity, so people with such a risk factor should use caution with food and medicine, use new cosmetics.
If a pregnant woman has an allergic disease, the probability of hypersensitivity to allergens in a newborn is very high. Children with allergic diseases are important to conduct adequate treatment to strengthen the body in order to prevent relapse in adulthood.
The main preventive measure is to avoid contact with aggressive substances that can cause allergies. To establish the type of stimulus help samples or allergic tests. Reliable information enables you to choose a behavior strategy to minimize contact with the allergen.
If the cause of the disease is the phytoallergen( pollen of plants), then during the flowering period, patients can change their place of residence. Often the allergy is related to professional activity, in this case it is better to change work or residence. Like any disease, allergic dermatitis will help to overcome the restorative measures. Useful walks in the fresh air, hardening, oxygen foam, drinking regime and diet.
Do not get involved in citrus and chocolate, exotic fruits and seafood. To cleanse the body, it is necessary to drink at least 1.5 liters of liquid daily, to make unloading days that exclude the use of proteins. Vitamin complexes restore the protective functions of the body, so it is recommended to drink a decoction of nettle, birch leaves, dog rose, string.
As cosmetics it is better to focus on herbal preparations. You can prepare yourself a moisturizing and nourishing cream based on glycerine, olive oil, fermented milk products. It is recommended to use cleansing cucumber masks, apple and salt scrubs.
The most dangerous for allergic dermatitis is the skin exfoliation factor. Irreversible reactions lead to necrolysis of the upper layer of the epidermis( Lyell's syndrome).
This worsens the general condition of the body - the temperature rises, vomiting and nausea, headache and weakness appear. Bumps can form under the armpits and in the groin, which turn into wounds and erosion.
This process leads to skin exfoliation, which covers from 20 to 80% of the skin. Immediate medical intervention is necessary, otherwise death may occur.
Any substance that can cause the body to react with direct contact with the skin can act as an irritant. Such a substance becomes an allergen, in relation to which hypersensitivity or sensitization develops.
And manifestations on the skin do not appear immediately, but after prolonged contact with the allergen, in other words, there is a slow reaction to the stimulus. In the zone of the lesion focus, there is an increased content of immune specific cells that, under the influence of the stimulus, leave the blood channel and move to the pathological part of the body.
This is confirmed by microscopic studies of a patient site in the area of which there are no antibodies, but immune cells of a specific origin. An important role in the fight against the allergen is played by phagocytic cells. They not only absorb allergens and digest them, but also promote the activation of specific cells of immune origin in the contact zone with the allergen.
As a result, all substances are allergen adsorbed and bound by phagocytic cells on their surface. Not only is the digestion of allergens by phagocytes, but also the activation of immune specific cells, which contributes to sensitization. If repeated contact with the stimulus occurs, then to this place many immune cells, familiar with the stimulus and antibodies, rush.
Causes of allergic dermatitis
As allergens in adults and children, substances of different chemical structure may act. Most often, the reaction occurs when contacting detergents and washing powders, building materials, cosmetic products, external medicinal products( ointments, gels, creams).
Nickel, chrome, insecticides, antibacterial substances included in the washing powders can lead to an allergic reaction. And the use of cosmetics or external creams can cause allergies, even with a slight ingress to the skin.
An irritant substance can not provoke an instantaneous reaction of the organism due to a small size, but when it contacts the bloodstream, it binds to the protein and the resulting conglomerate is already acting as an allergen.
Phagocytic cells begin to work and immune cells accumulate in the affected area. If the contact with the allergen repeats repeatedly, then a more violent reaction of the organism is observed. Each time the specific immune cells familiar with the allergen are multiplied many times, entering the zone of injury.
Not only phagocytes but also lymphocytes penetrate the pathological site. As a result, the skin appears a reaction in the form of redness, itching, dilated vessels and small vesicles.
See also, treatment of seborrheic dermatitis on the face.
Symptoms of allergic dermatitis in adults
In many ways, the symptoms of allergic dermatitis resemble the acute phase of eczema.
At the onset of the disease, the skin becomes covered with large red spots on which small bubbles form. Multiple clusters of bubbles lead to the appearance of a wetting surface, as they are constantly bursting and emptying.
As a result, adults and children experience constant pain and discomfort, itching and irritation. Defects of the skin for a long time do not heal, in their place appear crusts and small scales.
After the first contact with the irritant, the part of the body that is in contact with the allergen is affected. In the future, with constant contact with an allergic substance, irritation can occur anywhere.
This is due to the fact that allergic dermatitis, like any reaction to an allergen, is a disease not of a single part of the body, but of the whole organism. The lesions can be far away from the site of exposure to the allergen. Any area of the body becomes covered with bubbles, spots, nodules appear and puffiness.
In case of applying facial cosmetics, spots may appear in the neck, back, and shoulders. In this case, the patient experiences severe itching, discomfort, disturbing sleep and normal daily life.
See also, symptoms of contact dermatitis.
Treatment of allergic dermatitis
In the beginning, a diagnosis is established based on patient complaints and visual examination. Always allergic dermatitis is characterized by characteristic symptoms, which allow to presume a diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment. The doctor makes the final decision after passing certain studies.
Allergic tests give a complete picture of the extent of the lesion and the type of allergic reagent. Such examinations are carried out on the condition that the patient is at the stage of recovery and the skin is practically clean. Several points under the skin are injected with certain allergic components, most often causing allergies. One of the test components is sterile water, which should be a neutral breakdown, without causing any manifestations on the skin. By reaction to a certain type of allergen, the sensitivity of the organism to this component is determined.
Usually, the allergic reaction in trial injections is manifested as redness or swelling. Thus, the type of allergen is established, which can provoke an allergic reaction of the whole organism. Such tests play an important role in the treatment strategy and the patient's further behavior.
If the allergic component is associated with production or other work, the physician recommends that you follow precautionary measures or change your occupation. In case of allergic dermatitis, the reaction appears only when one specific reagent is encountered, whereas in eczema the allergy occurs due to contact with different allergic substances.
It is necessary to distinguish allergic dermatitis from toxicodermia, this disease is provoked by food and substances that enter the body. Treatment is appointed by the doctor individually, taking into account the degree of damage, the condition of the patient and the type of allergen. Effective therapy includes desensitizing drugs, in addition, the right diet is selected.
See also, symptoms and treatment of atopic dermatitis.
Prevention of allergic dermatitis
The cause of dermatitis can be heredity, so people with such a risk factor should use caution with food and medicine, use new cosmetics.
If a pregnant woman has an allergic disease, the probability of hypersensitivity to allergens in a newborn is very high. Children with allergic diseases are important to conduct adequate treatment to strengthen the body in order to prevent relapse in adulthood.
The main preventive measure is to avoid contact with aggressive substances that can cause allergies. To establish the type of stimulus help samples or allergic tests. Reliable information enables you to choose a behavior strategy to minimize contact with the allergen.
If the cause of the disease is the phytoallergen( pollen of plants), then during the flowering period, patients can change their place of residence. Often the allergy is related to professional activity, in this case it is better to change work or residence. Like any disease, allergic dermatitis will help to overcome the restorative measures. Useful walks in the fresh air, hardening, oxygen foam, drinking regime and diet.
Do not get involved in citrus and chocolate, exotic fruits and seafood. To cleanse the body, it is necessary to drink at least 1.5 liters of liquid daily, to make unloading days that exclude the use of proteins. Vitamin complexes restore the protective functions of the body, so it is recommended to drink a decoction of nettle, birch leaves, dog rose, string.
As cosmetics it is better to focus on herbal preparations. You can prepare yourself a moisturizing and nourishing cream based on glycerine, olive oil, fermented milk products. It is recommended to use cleansing cucumber masks, apple and salt scrubs.
Complications of
The most dangerous for allergic dermatitis is the skin exfoliation factor. Irreversible reactions lead to necrolysis of the upper layer of the epidermis( Lyell's syndrome).
This worsens the general condition of the body - the temperature rises, vomiting and nausea, headache and weakness appear. Bumps can form under the armpits and in the groin, which turn into wounds and erosion.
This process leads to skin exfoliation, which covers from 20 to 80% of the skin. Immediate medical intervention is necessary, otherwise death may occur.