Contact dermatitis Health Dictionary

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Contact Dermatitis: From 1 Different Sources

A type of dermatitis caused by an allergic reaction to a substance that is in contact with the skin and which would not cause a reaction in most people exposed to it. Common causes include nickel and rubber. (See also irritant dermatitis.)
Health Source: BMA Medical Dictionary
Author: The British Medical Association

Dermatitis

Irritation or inflammation of the skin... dermatitis

Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are lenses worn in contact with the EYE, behind the eyelids and in front of the cornea. They may be worn for cosmetic, optical or therapeutic reasons. The commonest reason for wear is cosmetic, many short-sighted people preferring to wear contact lenses instead of glasses. Optical reasons for contact-lens wear include cataract surgery (usually unilateral extraction) and the considerable improvement in overall standard of vision experienced by very short-sighted people when wearing contact lenses instead of glasses. Therapeutic lenses are those used in the treatment of eye disease: ‘bandage lenses’ are used in certain corneal diseases; contact lenses can be soaked in a particular drug and then put on the eye so that the drug slowly leaks out on to the eye. Contact lenses may be hard, soft or gas permeable. Hard lenses are more optically accurate (because they are rigid), cheaper and more durable than soft. The main advantage of soft lenses is that they are more comfortable to wear. Gas-permeable lenses are so-called because they are more permeable to oxygen than other lenses, thus allowing more oxygen to reach the cornea.

Disposable lenses are soft lenses designed to be thrown away after a short period of continuous use; their popularity rests on the fact that they need not be cleaned. The instructions on use should be followed carefully because the risk of complications, such as corneal infection, are higher than with other types of contact lenses.

Contraindications to the use of contact lenses include a history of ATOPY, ‘dry eyes’, previous GLAUCOMA surgery and a person’s inability to cope with the management of lenses. The best way to determine whether contact lenses are suitable, however, may be to try them out. Good hygiene is essential for wearers so as to minimise the risk of infection, which may lead to a corneal abscess – a serious complication. Corneal abrasions are fairly common and, if a contact-lens wearer develops a red eye, the lens should be removed and the eye tested with ?uorescein dye to identify any abrasions. Appropriate treatment should be given and the lens not worn again until the abrasion or infection has cleared up.... contact lenses

Contact

A person or animal that has been in such association with an infected person or animal or a contaminated environment as to have had opportunity t o acquire the infection.... contact

Contact A Family

A charity which helps families with disabled children to obtain good-quality information, support and – most of all – contact with other families with children who have the same disorder. This includes children with speci?c and rare conditions and those with special educational needs. The charity has many local parent groups throughout the UK and publishes a comprehensive directory with brief descriptions of each condition followed by contact addresses, phone numbers and web addresses. It also has a central helpline and a team of parent advisers.

See www.cafamily.org.uk... contact a family

Person/vector Contact

The number of times a person is bitten by a vector mosquito, normally expressed as the number of bites per person per night.... person/vector contact

Contact Lens Fatigue

Irritation, soreness, friction, inflammation. “People who use extended- wear soft contact lenses are more likely to develop serious microbial keratitis infection than users of other lenses.” (Research team, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London) Risk of keratitis was seen to increase when soft lenses were worn for more than six days.

Alternatives:– Douche. Simple teas: Fennel or German Chamomile; half a teaspoon dried herb or teabag to cup boiling water. Infuse 15 minutes. Half-fill eye-bath and use as douche, tepid. OR: quarter of a teaspoon distilled extract Witch Hazel in eye-bath; half-fill with water. Natural lubricant for contact lens is Evening Primrose oil (contents of a capsule). See: EYES, INFECTION.

Supplements. Daily. Vitamin A 7500iu, Vitamin B2 10mg, Vitamin C 400mg, Vitamin E 400iu, Beta carotene. Zinc 15mg. ... contact lens fatigue

Dermatitis, Contact

 Redness and possible blistering caused by a sensitive substance such as chromium, nickel, other metals, rubber, paints, cosmetic materials, plants (primula), house dust mites, aerosols, deodorants, photocopying, dyes in clothing, etc. A patch test establishes diagnosis. A suspected irritant is applied to the skin and after two days its reaction is noted. If inflammation is present the test is positive. Symptoms may include vesicles with weeping, scaling, and presence of dropsy.

In a study of 612 patients attending the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, more than half of the women who had ears pierced reported skin reactions to metallic jewellery, while a third had sensitivity to nickel. (British Journal of Dermatology, Jan 1992)

Treatment. Remove article or cause of irritation. Garlic is claimed to be successful, either in diet or by capsule when the condition is caused by histamines. Other agents: Betony, Burdock leaves, Chickweed, Dandelion, Figwort, Gotu Kola, Plantain, Red Clover.

Internal. Burdock tea. Clivers tea.

Tablets/capsules. Garlic, Devil’s Claw, Blue Flag.

Topical. Avoid use of Calamine, if possible. Creams or salves: Aloe Vera, Comfrey, Evening Primrose, Witch Hazel, Jojoba. All are alternatives to corticosteroids.

Tamus (Black Bryony) tincture. Distilled extract of Witch Hazel. ... dermatitis, contact

Dermatitis, Pseudomonas

 Itchy rash contracted in swimming pools, sports clubs or public baths caused by pseudomonas aeruginosa. Runs a self-limiting course from 7-14 days. Garlic and Echinacea specific. ... dermatitis, pseudomonas

Dermatitis, Seborrhoeic

 See: SEBORRHOEA.

DERMATOGRAPHIA. A form of nettle rash (hives). Rubbing a sensitive surface produces raised rough patches. ‘Skin writing.’ Treat as for NETTLE RASH. ... dermatitis, seborrhoeic

Contact Tracing

A service, provided by clinics treating sexually transmitted infections, in which contacts of a person diagnosed as having sexually transmitted infection are traced and encouraged to be examined and treated. Contact

tracing is also used in cases of infections such as tuberculosis, meningitis, and imported tropical diseases.... contact tracing

Dermatitis, Exfoliative

 Erythroderma. Redness and thickening of the skin which later peels off in layers (desquamation). Follows some chronic skin disorders: leukaemia, Hodgkin’s disease or fungoid invasion. May involve the whole of the body.

Alternatives. Teas. Betony, Burdock leaves, Bogbean, Chickweed, Clivers, Dandelion, Gotu Kola, Ground Ivy, Figwort, Red Clover, Violet, Yarrow.

Cold tea. Barberry bark: one heaped teaspoon to each teacup cold water; stand overnight, drink 1 cup morning and evening next day (most effective).

Tablets/capsules. Blue Flag root, Burdock, Devil’s Claw, Echinacea, Garlic, Poke root, Queen’s Delight, Red Clover, Seaweed and Sarsaparilla.

Formula. Equal parts: Dandelion, Echinacea, Yellow Dock root. Dose – Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon). Liquid extracts: one 5ml teaspoon. Tinctures: two 5ml teaspoons. Thrice daily before meals.

Topical. Alternatives to corticosteroids. Tamus tincture or salve – see Black Bryony. Aloe Vera, Witch Hazel, Comfrey, Evening Primrose, Jojoba, Thuja. Bran bath.

Diet. See: DIET – SKIN DISEASES. ... dermatitis, exfoliative

Dermatitis, Herpetiformis

 Red inflammation of the skin with blisters. Not eczema. Common cause: gluten, as present in cereals barley, oats, rye, wheat.

Alternatives. Teas. Betony, Burdock, Elderflowers, German Chamomile, Hops, Gotu Kola, Mullein, Plantain, Red Clover, Valerian.

Tea formula. Equal parts, Mullein, Red Clover, Valerian. Mix. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes; 1 cup thrice daily.

Tablets/capsules. Blue Flag, Dandelion, Devil’s Claw, Echinacea, Poke root, Red Clover, Seaweed and Sarsaparilla, Valerian.

Powders. Formula. Equal parts: Burdock root, Dandelion root, Valerian root. Two 00 capsules or one- third teaspoon thrice daily, (500mg).

Liquid extracts or tinctures. Formula. Chickweed 10ml; Poke root 5ml; Meadowsweet 10ml; Valerian 10ml. Dose: liquid extracts, one 5ml teaspoon; tinctures, two 5ml teaspoons. Thrice daily in water. Topical. Apply dilute Tea Tree oil 3-4 times daily. Witch Hazel, Aloe Vera, Vitamin E cream, Evening Primrose oil, or Marshmallow and Slippery Elm ointment. Bran bath.

Diet. Gluten-free.

DERMATITIS, LIGHT. Photo dermatitis. Reddening and blistering of the skin on exposure to sunlight.

See: SUNBURN. ... dermatitis, herpetiformis

Exfoliative Dermatitis

A skin disorder characterized by inflammation, redness, and scaling of the skin over most of the body. Exfoliative dermatitis may be the result of an allergic response to a drug or may be due to worsening of a skin condition such as psoriasis or eczema. The condition sometimes occurs in lymphoma and leukaemia.

There is a widespread rash with severe flaking of the skin, which results in increased loss of water and protein from the surface of the body.

Protein loss may cause oedema and muscle wasting.

Further possible complications include heart failure and infection.

The treatment and outlook depend on the cause.... exfoliative dermatitis

Seborrhoeic Dermatitis

See dermatitis.... seborrhoeic dermatitis

Contact Therapy

a form of *radiotherapy in which a radioactive substance is brought into close contact with the part of the body being treated. Needles or capsules of the isotope may be implanted in or around a tumour so that the radiation they emit will destroy it. Compare teletherapy.... contact therapy

Lip Licker’s Dermatitis

an irritant contact *dermatitis caused by saliva produced during habitual licking of the lips and the surrounding skin in an attempt to moisten dry chapped lips. The mainstay of treatment is regular frequent application of a moisturizing agent.... lip licker’s dermatitis

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