Dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin. The condition of the skin is directly related to the state of the body's immune and endocrine systems, and it is sensitive to all changes occurring in it, so dermatitis can be an independent disease, or it can be a skin manifestation of a general pathology.

Types of dermatitis

The following types of dermatitis are distinguished:

• Contact (simple) dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin that occurs in response to direct contact with an irritant. Any substance can act as an irritant if there is individual sensitivity to it. There are also a number of substances that cause dermatitis in everyone without exception; such irritants are called obligate. Obligate irritants include caustic alkalis, acids, some plants (nettle, euphorbia, etc.), exposure to high and low temperatures, skin injuries, etc.;
• Toxidermia is a skin manifestation of a toxic-allergic reaction of the body in response to the ingestion of an allergen. A typical example of toxicoderma is urticaria.;
• Atopic dermatitis (neurodermatitis). Neuro-allergic form of dermatitis, prone to chronic relapsing course;
• Seborrheic dermatitis. This dermatitis most often appears on the face, in the area of ​​the wings of the nose, on the forehead at the border of hair growth, on the back surface of the ears, on the eyebrows. Caused by a yeast-like fungus, has a chronic course;
• Other types of dermatitis. These include rosacea, acne, pimples, eczema, etc. Usually these forms are considered as separate diseases.

According to the nature of the course, dermatitis can be acute or chronic. Acute dermatitis is characterized by a sudden onset, a rapid course with vivid manifestations, and usually responds well to treatment. If the outcome is unfavorable, acute dermatitis can become chronic. Chronic dermatitis is characterized by a long course with relapses, often with pronounced seasonality. They are difficult to treat.

According to the degree of prevalence, dermatitis can be local (local) or diffuse (general). Simple (contact) dermatitis is usually limited to local manifestations that occur in the area of ​​direct exposure to the irritant. Toxic-allergic and neuro-allergic forms are characterized by a diffuse nature.

Symptoms of dermatitis vary significantly depending on the form of the disease, but for all forms the main symptom is the appearance of various inflammatory elements on the skin: rashes, papules, pustules, erythema, peeling scales, etc. Very often, the appearance of these elements is accompanied by skin itching, sometimes quite painful. Pain occurs less frequently. Characteristic symptoms of dermatitis also include loss of sensitivity in damaged areas. Sensitivity can be increased, or vice versa, reduced until completely absent. Dermatitis on the face more often than others tends to have a seasonal course - exacerbation in the cold season and remission in the summer.

Toxic forms of dermatitis can be accompanied by a general deterioration in health: increased temperature, the appearance of muscle-joint and headaches, and loss of strength. However, more often the symptoms of dermatitis are limited to local, skin manifestations.

Dermatitis in children is very common, which is associated with age-related imperfections of the immune system, and due to this susceptibility to allergies. One of the most common forms of dermatitis in children is exudative diathesis, which is of an allergic nature. Despite the fact that this is a common pathology, and in children dermatitis occurs quite violently, it is rarely protracted and is usually well cured after the damaging factor is eliminated.

Diagnosis of dermatitis

Diagnosis of dermatitis usually does not present any difficulties, and diagnostic measures are necessary to identify the form of the disease, since the treatment of different types of dermatitis may differ radically in its approach.

Diagnostics includes:

• Scraping from the affected surface of the skin followed by laboratory examination (histology, bacteriological examination);
• Immunological examination to identify the allergen and general assessment of the state of the body’s immune system;
• Biopsy if necessary;
• Detailed blood and urine tests;

Treatment of dermatitis

Treatment of dermatitis depends on its form and is always selected individually.

It is necessary to begin treatment of dermatitis by determining the cause. It is necessary to identify the irritant (allergen, toxic substance, microbial pathogen) and eliminate it. If the irritant is not identified, as is often the case with allergic and especially neuroallergic dermatitis, treatment will be only symptomatic, i.e. aimed at eliminating symptoms and maintaining remission.

Treatment of dermatitis is conservative, consisting of local and general therapy. Acute dermatitis and dermatitis in children, as a rule, are treated only with the use of local remedies, and chronic forms require a combination of general and local therapy.

Local treatment of dermatitis consists of treating the affected areas of the skin. Skin rashes are treated with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs in the form of mash, powders, ointments, solutions - depending on the form of the inflammatory element and its stage. Dermatitis on the face (seborrheic) is treated with antifungal ointments. Chronic dermatitis is treated with corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, acute dermatitis is treated with aniline dyes. Deep ulcerative lesions are treated in a hospital setting.

General treatment of dermatitis consists of taking immunomodulatory, antihistamine, and sedatives, depending on the cause of the disease. It is also necessary to eliminate all sources of chronic infection, such as teeth destroyed by caries, chronic sinusitis, tonsillitis, etc.

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There are contact dermatitis and toxidermia. Contact dermatitis occurs when the skin is directly exposed to an irritant; with toxicerma, foreign substances penetrate into the internal environment of the body, causing a number of changes, one of the manifestations of which is dermatitis. For example, if an inflammatory reaction in the skin occurs when using a cream with some medicinal substance, then this is contact dermatitis, and if the same substance enters the body through the intestines (in tablets or with food) and a rash occurs, this is toxicerma.

In addition, dermatitis includes diseases such as seborrheic dermatitis (acne, acne, pimples), atopic dermatitis (allergic), dermatitis herpetiformis, eczema, and others. In this article we will look at just a few of them.

Causes of dermatitis

Irritants that cause dermatitis can be of a physical, chemical or biological nature.

There are so-called obligate irritants that cause simple dermatitis in every person. These include friction, pressure, radiation and temperature effects, acids and alkalis, and some plants (nettle, ash, caustic buttercup, spurge). We all know what frostbite and calluses are; everyone has been “burnt” by nettles at least once in their life. The manifestations and severity of simple dermatitis are determined by the strength and duration of exposure to the factor. Symptoms of simple contact dermatitis appear immediately or shortly after the first contact with the irritant, and the area of ​​​​the lesion corresponds to the area of ​​​​contact. Sometimes a chronic course of dermatitis is possible with prolonged exposure to the irritant.

Facultative irritants cause skin inflammation only in individuals who are hypersensitive to them. We are talking about diseases such as allergic contact dermatitis and atopic (allergic) dermatitis. The number of optional irritants (sensitizers) is enormous and continuously increasing.

Allergic contact dermatitis, unlike simple allergic contact dermatitis, does not develop immediately after contact with the irritant, and not on the first contact. For an allergic reaction (sensitization) to form, it takes up to several weeks from the first contact. Then, upon repeated contact, dermatitis develops. The inflammatory reaction of the skin clearly does not correspond to the intensity of the irritant, which will not cause any changes in people without. The area of ​​change on the skin may extend beyond the contact area.

Atopic dermatitis is a very complex disease, a chronic inflammatory lesion of the skin of an allergic nature. It can be caused by several or even many factors, and not only by contact, but also by inhalation (pollen, dust) or with food (food allergies). Atopic diseases also include allergic rhinitis, etc. Predisposition to atopy is transmitted genetically.

Atopic dermatitis usually develops in early childhood. Often, with age, the manifestations of this disease subside or disappear completely.

Symptoms of dermatitis

Simple dermatitis occurs acutely or chronically. Acute dermatitis is characterized by severe inflammation, accompanied by itching, burning, pain, and sometimes the formation of blisters and areas of necrosis that leave scars.

Chronic dermatitis is manifested by congestive edema, cyanosis, thickening of the skin, lichenification (peeling), cracks, increased keratinization, and sometimes skin atrophy.

Acute manifestations of allergic contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis are also characterized by bright redness of the skin with pronounced swelling. Next, bubbles and even bubbles may appear, opening and leaving weeping erosions (wetting). The subsiding inflammation leaves crusts and scales.

What can you do

If dermatitis appears, it is better to consult a doctor rather than self-medicate. In the treatment of simple contact dermatitis, the main thing is to stop the action of the irritant. Often patients, understanding the cause of the disease, cope with it themselves.

However, there are cases (for example, severe chemical and thermal burns, frostbite) when medical intervention is simply necessary.

What can a doctor do?

A dermatologist and allergist can help you treat dermatitis. If necessary, you may be referred to a gastroenterologist and other specialists.

Treatment of allergic contact dermatitis is prescribed by a dermatologist and comes down primarily to identifying the allergen. You will be asked in detail about your lifestyle, occupational hazards, cosmetics you use, etc. When the allergen is eliminated, the symptoms of contact dermatitis usually go away.

Treatment of atopic dermatitis is much more difficult. This disease should be treated by a qualified allergist. Antihistamines (both for oral administration and in the form of ointments), glucocorticoid drugs, and allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) are used.

Preventive measures

Follow safety precautions at work and at home. If you have already had allergic dermatitis and the cause is known, try to avoid contact with the relevant allergen.

Dermatitis is a contact acute inflammatory lesion of the skin tissue that occurs as a result of exposure to irritating factors of a chemical, physical or biological nature.

It belongs to the group of allergic dermatoses. Allergic dermatoses, as is known, are a heterogeneous group of skin diseases, the leading role in the development of which is given to an allergic reaction of an immediate or delayed type. This group includes: allergic, atopic, toxicerma, eczema, urticaria.

Dermatitis, the symptoms of which can develop as a result of biological, chemical or physical exposure from various types of factors, respectively, can manifest itself in a specific form, determined from the characteristics of this exposure; in this article we will look at what this problem is in general.

Classification

Depending on the cause and symptoms, there are:

1. Seborrheic is a disease caused by a yeast-like fungus. However, this type of skin disease is not contagious. It has a chronic course, and most often appears on the skin of the face (forehead, nose, at the border of hair growth, eyebrows, ears).
2. When substances penetrate the skin, they can cause inflammation due to an allergic or other reaction. It can occur when the skin comes into contact with various biological, mechanical or other irritants. The severity of the manifestations of the disease depends on the time and strength of the stimulus.
3. – a chronic disease that occurs gradually, within 1-2 weeks from the moment the body interacts with the allergen, upon repeated contact with it;
4. Atopic is the most complex form of the disease, occurs in a chronic form and develops in individuals with a predisposition to atopy (increased synthesis of immunoglobulin E in the body);

To understand how to treat dermatitis, you need to determine its type, and only then choose how to treat it.

Signs

Common signs of dermatitis, including:

1. The appearance on the skin of such elements as erythema, papules, rash, peeling in the form of scales, etc.;
2. Sometimes there is swelling and pain in the area of ​​inflammation;
3. Often the process is accompanied by painful itching and burning;
4. Sensitivity in the affected areas is impaired until it is completely absent;
5. The process is characterized by seasonality, when exacerbation is observed in the cold period, and remission is observed in the summer;

Symptoms of dermatitis

In the case of dermatitis, symptoms in adults will directly depend on the severity and type of disease.

1. is an inflammation of the skin of the scalp (however, there are other localizations of the disease), the main symptom of which is the presence of greasy yellow crusts on the surface of the skin. The main cause of development is considered to be the fungus Malassezia furfur, which, when multiplying on the surface of the skin, causes the appearance of symptoms of the disease.
2. characterized by the appearance of edema, erythema, vesicular rashes that can open and leave weeping erosions. When the inflammatory process subsides, crusts and scales remain at the affected sites. With indolent allergic dermatitis, changes in the skin are possible, characterized by thickening, roughening and changes in the skin pattern.
3. is considered a complex disease of an allergic nature. With this disease, the body is affected by several factors at once. The predisposition to atopy (increased immunoglobulin synthesis) is inherited, and, as a rule, the disease develops at an early age. It is characterized by severe redness of the skin and severe swelling. Subsequently, bubbles form, which, when opened, leave weeping erosions. After the inflammation subsides, crusts and scales remain on the skin.

Simple dermatitis occurs acutely or chronically. The acute form is characterized by severe inflammation, accompanied by itching, burning, pain, and sometimes the formation of blisters and areas of necrosis that leave scars. The chronic form is manifested by congestive edema, cyanosis, thickening of the skin, lichenification (peeling), cracks, increased keratinization, and sometimes skin atrophy.

Factors provoking the development of the disease

Irritants that cause a mandatory inflammatory reaction in all people without exception are called obligate. They are the cause of simple contact dermatitis.

An allergic reaction can be triggered by:

• synthetic substances;
• detergents, household chemicals;
• plant protection products against insects;
• cosmetics containing dyes and preservatives;
• paints and adhesives based on polymer compounds;
• irritants of plant origin.

Irritating agents that affect the skin and mucous membranes not of everyone, but only of some people in contact with them, are called facultative, and lead to the development of allergic dermatitis, which is a consequence of increased sensitization of the body to allergens.

Dermatitis photo

Below is a photo of dermatitis on the hands and body. The manifestation will depend on the form of the disease.

Treatment of dermatitis

When dermatitis is diagnosed in adults, treatment depends on its form and is always selected individually.

First of all, the treatment of all dermatitis should begin with eliminating the irritating factor. External therapy depends on the severity of the process and the nature of the elements of the rash. If the irritant is not identified, as is often the case with allergic and especially neuroallergic dermatitis, treatment will be only symptomatic, i.e. aimed at eliminating symptoms and maintaining remission.

Treatment of dermatitis is conservative, consisting of local and general therapy. Acute dermatitis usually needs to be treated only with local remedies, while chronic forms require a combination of general and local therapy.

Local treatment consists of treating the affected areas of the skin. Skin rashes are treated with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs in the form of mash, powders, ointments, solutions - depending on the form of the inflammatory element and its stage. Dermatitis on the face (seborrheic) is treated with antifungal ointments. Chronic forms are treated with corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, acute forms are treated with aniline dyes. Deep ulcerative lesions are treated in a hospital setting.

General treatment consists of taking immunomodulatory, antihistamine, and sedatives, depending on the cause of the disease. It is also necessary to eliminate all sources of chronic infection, such as destroyed, tonsillitis, etc.

Cutaneous dermatitis is a skin disease caused by irritants that act on the body from the inside or outside.

The disease causes inflammatory processes on the skin.

Dermatitis does not occur in all people, but only in those who have a certain predisposition to it.

Such patients include people of different age groups with abnormalities in the functioning of the immune system or people exposed to stressful situations.

The environment has certain effects on the human body, which can be reflected on the skin. Inflammation of the skin occurs on any part of the human body.

There are many different factors that influence the occurrence of skin disease:

• exposure of the skin to an allergic irritant (food, cosmetics or detergents, insect bites, exposure to pollen from plants);
• exposure to high or low temperatures;
• exposure to an irritant that has a harmful chemical composition;
• hormonal disorders;
• disturbance of intestinal flora;
• infection.

Dermatitis can be determined without being a specialist, knowing about the specifics of its manifestation. Skin dermatitis manifests itself as damage to the skin in the form of redness, itching, and peeling. Itching or burning may occur in the affected area. Skin rashes may occur in the form of small pimples or large blisters.

The rashes can be either separate from each other or merged. The disease is characterized by dry skin, the appearance of cracks, or, on the contrary, weeping blisters, which threatens a secondary infection. The disease can manifest itself as some individual signs from the above or in their totality, depending on the type of disease, since there are several of its varieties. For each type of disease there are distinctive signs.

If these symptoms are detected, you should consult a specialist. A dermatologist will be able to determine the type of disease, which will give the right direction in selecting treatment. It is not difficult to determine skin dermatitis in view of the above symptoms, but additional laboratory tests are also carried out to make an accurate diagnosis, select the correct treatment and determine concomitant diseases.

This includes clinical blood and urine tests, a smear from the affected area of ​​the skin, and blood tests from a vein are also possible for the presence of an allergic reaction. A clinical blood test is quite informative; a competent doctor can use it to determine the cause of the disease, so you will have to take a test for allergic reactions from a vein if there are indications based on the results of the clinical test.

But in general, it is worth donating blood for the presence of allergens regardless of this, in order to be aware of what you should avoid or exclude from your environment or consumption. This will benefit your health during further treatment.

Ointments for dermatitis and skin diseases in adults

Dermatitis has several varieties:

• contact - occurs when an irritant directly affects the skin;
• atopic - exposure to allergens;
• seborrhea - fungal infection;
• infectious - bacterial damage (eczema, herpes, acne, acne).

In turn, these types of dermatitis are divided into types:

Modern medicine allows humanity to recover from this disease and offers different approaches to treatment.

Treatment of dermatitis should not be delayed, otherwise it will complicate the situation. The disease must be treated from the inside and outside. Thus, it is unacceptable to use only local effects on inflamed areas, since this will only have a cosmetic effect and will not get rid of the problem itself.

There are several ways to treat skin dermatitis - drug treatment and treatment using folk remedies. It should be remembered that when choosing the right treatment approach, one must not forget about the doctor’s recommendations. Only a doctor can prescribe effective treatment specifically for your case.

Please note

In the field of pharmaceutical services, a great variety of treatment options can be offered, but each of them has its own contraindications and side effects, so self-medication is not recommended.

Medicines for dermatitis come in different forms, such as tablets, even injections, drops, syrups, creams, ointments, shampoos, etc. Having found out the cause of the occurrence, it is worth removing this inflammatory pathogen. For allergic dermatitis, it is necessary to remove the source using antihistamines (drops, tablets, gels, ointments). They also prescribe drugs that remove toxins from the body (activated carbon or other sorbents).

Fungal dermatitis is treated with topical preparations that contain zinc and salicylic acid. For dry dermatitis, ointments and gels are used to moisturize the skin; if it is accompanied by itching, they also relieve this symptom. If the affected area becomes wet, then local antiseptic drugs are used.

Any of the drugs should be used with caution, and if any of them for any reason has a negative effect, then you need to replace it by contacting a doctor. If a child requires treatment, then it is definitely impossible to do without the help of a specialist. The child's body is still so delicate and susceptible to all external influences that one should be wary of the occurrence of adverse reactions when using medications.

Skin dermatitis in children: treatment and diet

Dermatitis can appear at an early age. Thus, in newborns, the skin can react to the external environment as a result of adaptation. The child develops so-called atopic dermatitis. At such an early age, of course, I would not want to resort to drug treatment, but there is nowhere to go, because this manifestation causes a lot of discomfort for the child. In pediatrics, skin dermatitis in children is treated with gentle medications that have a narrowed range of side effects.

Only a doctor can prescribe the right treatment in the right dosage. Some drugs are even designed to treat children. Doctors highlight the drug Dupixent as the most effective.

Treatment can be carried out using an emulsion for external use, gel, ointment, or antihistamine drops or syrup may be prescribed. If the affected areas become wet or crack, antiseptic agents are prescribed. You can also get by by taking a bath with a decoction of the string, it has an antiseptic anti-allergenic effect. A bath with chamomile decoction relieves inflammation and soothes the skin. Be sure to moisturize your baby's skin after taking a bath. To do this, you will need a special cream or emulsion; it is possible to use vegetable oil if there are no weeping rashes.

The use of moisturizers depends on the severity of the disease and the nature of its manifestation. For adults and especially children, folk remedies for treating the disease are well suited. But you also need to be careful when using them, as some of them can cause an allergic reaction. If children are diagnosed with skin dermatitis, a healthy diet is a key part of the road to recovery.

Without a solid foundation in the body, any action will be useless. Diet serves as this basis. Allergen-containing foods should be removed from the diet. These include coffee, chocolate, cocoa, citrus fruits, eggs, smoked meats, products with a high content of preservatives, various spices, sauces, fish, seafood, products containing dyes, strawberries and raspberries.

In addition, food should be low-calorie for better absorption. But it is worth remembering that nutrition should be balanced. It is recommended to add more vegetables to the menu, light soups, fermented milk products without additional components, juices should be replaced with freshly squeezed ones or compotes and fruit drinks. To avoid unpleasant manifestations of a skin disease, you can prevent them by taking preventive measures.

Treatment of skin dermatitis with folk remedies

Treatment of skin dermatitis is carried out using various decoctions both internally and externally as lotions and baths: string, cornflower, nettle, Ivan-Tea, hops, rose hips, chamomile.

You can also use ointments on a natural basis: honey with the addition of Kalanchoe juice, cranberry with the addition of petroleum jelly, St. John's wort with the addition of butter, geranium oil, tea tree oil, tar (tar soap), sea buckthorn oil.

The preparation of more complex natural compositions is also effective; for example, the use of an infusion of celandine is considered particularly effective: the herb is mixed in equal proportions with vodka.

The celandine is first crushed, the juice is collected in a separate container, and infused until the fermentation process takes place for a week. After this, the liquid is mixed with vodka and stored in the refrigerator. It is useful to use white wine in treatment; it is mixed with pureed plantain in equal proportions and applied to the affected areas for 2 weeks, the mixture is stored in the refrigerator. It is useful to consume kombucha, which is better to grow yourself.

Chlorophyllipt infusion has a local and general antiseptic effect. In order for any of the treatment approaches chosen for you to be effective, you must also follow a strict diet. Nutrition plays an important role in human health. It is the consumption of low-quality food that is reflected on a person’s skin, hair and nails.

Preventive measures:

1. It is necessary to strengthen the immune system. It is necessary to follow the rules of a healthy lifestyle, engage in hardening, and possibly use additional means (discuss with your doctor).
2. As a preventive measure, first of all, a properly selected menu is used.
3. It is necessary to monitor the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract to prevent failure.
4. Diagnose the amount and sources of allergens.
5. Control yourself in stressful situations.
6. The skin needs to be moisturized and nourished. To do this, you need to drink enough water, as well as apply moisturizers to the skin.
7. Use air, sun baths, baths with a decoction of medicinal herbs.
8. When taking water procedures, you need to monitor the water temperature, since deviations in one direction or another from the warm temperature can have a negative effect on the skin.
9. Work using detergents and cleaning agents should be done with gloves.
10. Use baby powder for washing, it is less allergenic, be sure to iron the laundry after washing.
11. Change bed linen more often (once a week).
12. Use hypoallergenic cosmetics.
13. Wear clothes made from natural fabrics and not bright colors, the same applies to bed linen.
14. It is possible to use specific physiotherapy procedures.
15. It will not hurt to perform a certain set of physical therapy exercises.
16. Take mineral water.
17. Make sure you have regular bowel movements, as constipation causes putrefaction in the intestines and releases toxic substances, which results in dermatitis on the skin.
18. Rid your body of exposure to harmful substances. First, give up bad habits, or, if this is not possible, reduce your alcohol and nicotine consumption. Add foods that have antitoxic properties to your menu. This includes vegetables and herbal teas.
19. Take a vitamin complex, preferably one that contains vitamin E, which is so beneficial for the skin.

Skin is an external reflection of the internal health of the human body. If the skin does not have a healthy, smooth appearance, it means that there are some disturbances in the functioning of the body.

The negative impact of the environment, poor-quality clothing, poor nutrition and poor-quality products, the presence of bacterial and viral microorganisms, all of this has a negative impact on the human body, which can affect its skin. Skin dermatitis can be of different origins and have different characters.

If any changes appear on the skin, you should consult a doctor. This, of course, does not mean that with one small pimple you should panic.

You should consult a specialist if there is a profuse rash, if there is itching, burning in the affected area, or if there is peeling of the skin. Healthy human skin should be smooth and silky, especially for children's skin. Take this issue more seriously and choose the right treatment for skin dermatitis. The untreated root cause of the disease will make itself felt again and again.