Contact Dermatitis
How will the doctor identify the cause of my Contact Dermatitis?
In some cases the location of the rash may suggest the cause. For instance, a rash around the wrist is easily identified as caused by a watchband. One across the forehead may be the result of a hat band. And rashes in the armpits are often due to deodorants.
But in the majority of cases, identification of the cause is not that simple. Your doctor will ask you many questions about what you do, what you've handled at home and in your work, if you use gloves to protect your hands at work or when washing the dishes, what hobbies you have, etc.
You should try to help by remembering all your activities — gardening, painting, using metal polishes, touching plants, etc. — which may have caused irritation of your skin. You should mention if you've recently changed employment, or recently been on vacation away from your usual environment. In many instances, you and your doctor have to act like a detective to search for a clue to the diagnosis.
Confirmation, and sometimes even detection, of the specific substance that caused the rash may sometimes require further study and patch tests.
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