Did you know that contact dermatitis might not show symptoms immediately when exposed to an allergen? There are times when the inflammation is delayed for several days, making it hard for people to determine what's causing these annoying, itchy rashes that don't go away fast enough.
Contact dermatitis is a common skin condition caused by an allergic reaction to certain irritants. The good news is, there are so many ways to treat this condition using natural remedies and conventional treatments. By learning the many ways to treat this skin condition, you can prevent future flare-ups!
When an irritant or something we have a sensitivity to touches our skin, an itchy, blistery rash can be the result. In fact, virtually everyone will develop contact dermatitis at some point during their lives. Generally, it resolves without medical intervention. But if it persists for a month — or reoccurs and you don’t know the cause — visiting a dermatologist is recommended.
Fortunately, for the nearly 15 million people in the United States affected each year, natural contact dermatitis treatments can help to relieve the symptoms and speed healing. Lesions and blisters commonly appear somewhere between 24 and 72 hours, depending on the irritant or allergen you have encountered. This inflammatory skin reaction can be caused by cosmetics and other beauty products, chemical solvents, certain medications and plants. (1)
Contact dermatitis is responsible for 95 percent of occupational skin diseases and one of the most common reasons to see a dermatologist. (2) Occupations most at-risk for developing this acute skin condition include nurses, those who work in the beauty industry handling hair and skin products, bartenders, landscapers, and people who handle chemicals in industrial plants and laboratories.
One of the things that puzzles researchers is that there seems to be evidence that repeated exposure to certain compounds can increase the risk of the immune system becoming sensitized to them, resulting in a new allergic response. (3) This has been shown, for example, in people who seemingly awaken to find themselves allergic to their wedding rings or those who suddenly become allergic to latex after wearing gloves for years or professional musicians who suddenly develop a rash as a result of their instrument.
While unsightly and uncomfortable, this skin condition is not contagious. It often heals within two to four weeks with effective home remedies. Plus reoccurrences can often be limited by avoiding the offending compounds causing the inflammatory response.
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