This document provides an overview of contact dermatitis. It defines contact dermatitis as an inflammatory skin reaction to physical, chemical, or biological agents. Common causes include soaps, detergents, chemicals, plants, jewelry, and work-related materials. Clinical manifestations include itching, burning, edema, papules, vesicles, oozing, redness, crusting, drying, cracking, scaling, bleeding, blistering, peeling, and secondary bacterial infection. Medical management involves bland lotions, cool wet dressings, corticosteroid ointments and baths, and systemic corticosteroids for severe cases. Nursing management includes taking a history, examination, providing medication, patient education, and

2. Contact Dermatitis
Presented by :
Mrs. Nutan Makasare
Tutor
College of nursing
G.M.C. Nagpur

3. Specific Objectives
At the end of this session the group will be able to:
• Define contact dermatitis
• Enlist the causes
• Enumerate Clinical manifestations
• Explain Medical and Nursing management
• Apply this knowledge while caring patient with
contact dermatitis in clinical area.

4. Definition
 Contact dermatitis is an Inflammatory
reaction of the skin to physical, chemical or
biologic agents.
Types: Irritant contact dermatitis
Allergic contact dermatitis

5. Causes
Soap, detergents, chemicals, toiletries, jewellery,
personal care products, topical medications, plants
and work-related materials, foods, anesthetics
agents, perfumes rubber gloves, leather, hair dye,
food etc.
Predisposing factors

6. Clinical manifestations
 Itching
 Burning
 Oedema
 Papules
 Vesicles
 Oozing
 Redness
 Crusting
 Drying
 Cracking
 Scaling
 Bleeding
 Blistering
 Peeling
 Secondary bacterial
invasion

9. Medical management
-A bland unmedicated lotion for small patches or
erythema.
-Cool wet dressings
-Ointment containing corticosteroids
-Medicated baths
-Short course of systemic corticosteroids for severe,
widespread conditions.

10. Nursing Management
 Detailed history
 Physical examination
 Providing medication
 Patient education

11. Strategies for avoiding contact Dermatitis
-Identify the irritants and try to avoid contact with
these materials
-Wear disposable, non-latex gloves when
shampooing, colouring and bleaching
-Rinse hands thoroughly immediately after exposure
to possible irritants
-Dry hands thoroughly with soft cotton or paper
towel
-Moisturise after washing your hands as well as the
start and finish of each day
-Pay attention to the fingertips, webs and wrists
- Check skin regularly for early signs of dermatitis