A Red Itchy Rash Might Be Due to Contact Dermatitis

Contact dermatitis causes a red itchy rash on your skin. It occurs when your skin comes into contact with a substance or chemical that reacts with your skin to form a red itchy rash. The rash occurs within minutes or hours after exposure to the allergen, and it might last for two to four weeks. Contact dermatitis is not life-threatening nor contagious. However, it makes you feel uncomfortable due to the itchiness. Contact dermatitis is very common because our surroundings contain potential allergens and irritants. If your skin is sensitive, or you have an underlying skin infection that damages the protective layer of your skin, you are more susceptible to getting contact dermatitis. This article will look at the causes, symptoms and potential treatment of contact dermatitis. 

Causes of Contact Dermatitis

There are two main types of contact dermatitis, and each of them has different causes. Allergic contact dermatitis is whereby your body is allergic to certain substances. When your body comes into contact with the allergen, it thinks it is under attack and reacts by producing inflammatory chemicals. The inflammatory chemicals cause inflammation on your skin, resulting in a red itchy rash. After exposure to the allergen, the red itchy rash might occur immediately or later. This will depend on how sensitive your skin is to the allergen. The allergens include:

• Jewelry
• Fragrance in soaps, shampoo, or perfume
• Preservatives
• Poison oak
• Latex gloves
• Chemicals in cosmetic products

Irritant contact dermatitis occurs when you expose your skin to chemicals that damage the skin's protective layer. It is common and its severity depends on how long the toxic substance stays on your skin. The causes include:

• Acids
• Hair dyes
• Urine or saliva
• Paints
• Some drain cleaners
• Resins

Signs and Symptoms of Contact Dermatitis

The signs and symptoms will depend on the type of contact dermatitis and how severe the reaction was. The signs and symptoms will occur in the area where your body directly contacted the allergen or the irritant. When it is irritant dermatitis, you will see the signs and symptoms almost immediately after exposure. However, in allergic dermatitis, it might take a while before you develop the signs and symptoms. Nevertheless, the signs and symptoms of allergic and irritant dermatitis can be the same. The signs and symptoms include:

• Red itchy rash
• Dry, scaly skin
• Oozing blister
• Burning sensation on the skin
• Swollen, tenderness or hive-like
• Painful rash

The signs are mild in most cases. The blisters are so rare, and when you see oozing blisters, it might indicate a severe infection that will need medical attention.

Treating Contact Dermatitis

In most cases, the red itchy rash will last for a few days then go away on its own. You can treat your contact dermatitis at home. Here is how to treat it at home:

• Clean your skin with mild soap and warm water
• Use a moist cloth to compress the blisters
• Apply petroleum gel to soothe the skin
• Stop using the products that cause the irritation
• Avoid scratching

However, there are some cases where you will need to seek medical treatment. The medication given will include antihistamines to prevent itching and anti-itching creams. The instances where you need to see the doctor include:

• When the red rash is so itchy and painful, making you unable to carry out your daily activities or makes you uncomfortable when you sleep
• When the rash spreads to other parts of your skin
• When the rash affects your face or genitals
• When the rash takes more than three weeks to heal
• When the rash causes oozing blisters

Red itchy rash is the primary sign of contact dermatitis. It is a common infection, but you can avoid it. First, identify the cause of contact dermatitis, and avoid coming into contact with the potential allergen or irritants. It might not be easy to avoid all the irritants and allergens because they are part of the products we come into contact with every day. However, you can prevent contact dermatitis by using soap with a mild fragrance. Clean your skin immediately when you suspect it has been in contact with an irritant, and wear protective clothing when dealing with toxic products.