Allergic contact dermatitis

What is allergic contact dermatitis?
Allergic contact dermatitis is a type of skin allergy. Allergic contact dermatitis accounts for approximately 20 per cent of cases of contact dermatitis. Allergic contact dermatitis may cause skin inflammation when the skin comes into contact with an allergen.

Allergic contact dermatitis has the following features:

• the reaction is specific to one chemical or a group of similar chemicals


• all areas of skin that are in contact with the allergy-provoking substance (allergen) develop the rash