Dermatitis is a common condition involving the skin. It can occur at any age including in children and babies. There are many types of dermatitis including allergic contact dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis.

Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis tends to occur in people with an 'atopic' tendency. Often there is a family history of this type of dermatitis along with asthma and hayfever. The skin is very itchy and red and can become easily infected. There are excoriations (scratch marks) and skin dryness. This dermatitis especially affects the flexural regions of the body including the inner elbow and backs of knees. It can also affect the face and hands.

Whilst we do not understand entirely the cause of atopic dermatitis, we do know there are triggers that make atopic dermatitis worse. These include:-

• Clothing that contains wool and nylon
• Sand - be careful in sand pits and at the beach
• Carpet
• Heat
• House Dust Mite
• Pollen
• Animal fur
• Stress
• Detergent, chlorine, perfumes
• Infection
• Some foods

Treatment of atopic dermatitis is important to improve the skin barrier function and to ease itching. General skin care measures are very important. These include avoiding any trigger factors, using a moisturiser often and using a mild non-alkali soap. Often topical steroid creams are used along with tar creams. If the dermatitis is very bad then treatments with tablets may be required. Also, it is important to treat infections promptly if they occur on the skin.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

This occurs due to an allergy to a product that has come in contact with the skin. One example is an allergy to hair dye where contact with PPD in the dye causes a very itchy red rash on the scalp and down the back of the neck. Other common examples of allergens include nickel, rubber and fragrances.