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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staff
The key to successful treatment of contact dermatitis is identifying what's causing your symptoms. Doctors rely on two chief strategies to determine the cause:
- A thorough medical history and physical exam. Your doctor may be able to diagnose contact dermatitis and identify its cause by talking to you about your signs and symptoms, questioning you to uncover clues about the culprit, and examining your skin to note the pattern and intensity of your reaction.
- A patch test (contact delayed hypersensitivity allergy test). If the cause of your rash isn't apparent from your history and symptoms, or if your rash recurs often, your doctor may recommend patch testing. During a patch test, small quantities of potential allergens are applied to adhesive patches, which are then placed on your skin. The patches remain on your skin for two days before your doctor evaluates your response. If you're allergic to a particular substance, you develop a raised bump or a reaction limited to the skin just beneath the patch.
References
- Weston WL, et al. Overview of dermatitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 26, 2011.
- Seyfarth F, et al. Teaching interventions in contact dermatitis. Dermatitis. 2011;22:8.
- Habif TP. Contact dermatitis and patch testing. In: Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, U.K.; New York, N.Y.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..X0001-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed April 6, 2011.
- Zug KA, et al. Patch-test results of the North American Contact Dermatitis Group 2005-2006. Dermatitis. 2009;20:149.
- Usatine RP, et al. Diagnosis and management of contact dermatitis. American Family Physician. 2010;82:249.
- McCoy K. Lichen simplex chronicus. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec10/ch114/ch114f.html. Accessed April 29, 2011.
- Kerr A, et al. Photoallergic contact dermatitis. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology and Photomedicine. 2010;26:56.
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