Glossary Terms

CONTACT DERMATITIS

CONTACT DERMATITIS [kon-takt, dur-muh-tahy-tis]

What it is: Contact dermatitis is a red, itchy rash caused by direct contact with a substance or an allergic reaction to it. The rash isn’t contagious or life-threatening, but can be very uncomfortable. Symptoms depend on the cause and how sensitive a person is to the substance. There are three types of contact dermatitis; allergic, irritant and photocontact.
What to do: Seek medical advice. Contact dermatitis usually occurs on areas of the body that have been directly exposed to the reaction-causing substance; in the case of  hairdressers and nail professionals, it’s the hands that come into contact with the products.  The rash usually develops within minutes to hours of exposure and can last two to four weeks.

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