Overview
Allergic contact dermatitis is the medical term for a very common rash that occurs when the skin is exposed to any number of irritants (ie, substances or surfaces that bother it) and becomes inflamed. In allergic contact dermatitis, the rash usually appears 48–72 hours after the exposure is made, which can make the diagnosis difficult as the irritant culprit is not always obvious. The skin tends to become red, raised, itchy, and dry looking. Some very common irritants (though there are many more than on this list) include nickel (a metal found in earrings, other jewelry, and the metal closures on clothing), chemicals used to tan the leather used in shoes and sandals, latex (including gloves and condoms), antibiotic ointments, soaps, cosmetics, and dyes. Someone can be in contact with one of these things for years and suddenly develop an allergic contact dermatitis. The best treatment is to identify the offending agent and avoid it; your doctor can also prescribe a steroid-based cream to help the rash go away more quickly.
