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Irritant Contact Dermatitis
Pathogenesis
- Cytotoxic T cell-mediated damage.
- This is a Type IV Hypersensitivity
Manifestations
- Rapid onset, within minutes to hours of exposure.
- Burning, stinging pain.
- Vesicle eruption.
- Scalded appearance with scaling, crusting over vesicles.
- Resolution over time with removal of irritant.
Causes
Common causes of contact dermatitis include:
- Urusiol oil, found in poison ivy.
- Heavy metal; many people are allergic to nickel, which is a common component of jewelry and clothing.
- For example, nickel buttons on denim pants causes a characteristic umbilical rash in susceptible individuals.
Image References
Dermatitis from poison ivy
Dermatitis post transdermal patch