Dermatitis is a general term that describes a number of different skin diseases that cause inflammation of the skin, in addition to some other symptoms.
When skin infections occur, the blood vessels inside the skin expand, causing red spots (erythema) to appear in the affected area.
Dermatitis may appear after exposure to sunlight, and when the reaction is mild, it does not need any treatment, as it goes away and disappears automatically after a short period.
The easiest and lightest type of skin inflammation is the one that appears as a result of external influences, such as: sunlight, hot water, or as a result of exposure to various substances, whether acidic or alkaline.
The reaction as a result of exposure to these substances is called primary irritation, and it can be prevented by changing the conditions that led to its occurrence, such as: reducing the concentration of the substance or lowering its temperature.
Symptoms of dermatitis
Symptoms of dermatitis vary according to the type of inflammation, as they can be divided as follows:
Atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis occurs in childhood, and usually causes many symptoms, such as the following:
red rash
Itching in the affected place.
fluid from the rash.
contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis occurs when you come into contact with certain types of substances, which cause a red rash and severe itching in the area, and blisters may form.
Seborrheic dermatitis
This type of inflammation usually appears in oily areas of the body, such as the chest, face, and back, causing scaly patches that persist for a long period of time.
follicular eczema
This type of dermatitis causes thickening of the affected skin and bumps in the hair, and it usually occurs in people of African descent.
Causes and risk factors for dermatitis
The causes and risk factors leading to dermatitis can be explained as follows
1. Causes of dermatitis
The causes of dermatitis vary according to its type as follows
Atopic dermatitis
Most often, atopic dermatitis occurs for several reasons, as follows
dryskin
genetic factors.
Malfunction of the immune system.
skin infection
Exposure to certain allergens.
contact dermatitis
This type of inflammation occurs as a result of contact with some irritating substances to the skin, such as: perfumes, jewelry, some metals, and detergents.
Seborrheic dermatitis
This type of inflammation is caused by a fungal infection that grows in the body''s fat cells.
2. Risk factors for dermatitis
Risk factors for dermatitis include
Age: Dermatitis can occur at any age, but it usually occurs in childhood.
Allergies and asthma: People with allergies or asthma are more likely to develop skin infections.
Nature of work: People who are frequently exposed to chemicals are more likely to develop skin infections.
Complications of dermatitis
Dermatitis causes many complications, such as the following
Ulceration of the skin.
Spread of skin infection.
severe itching
The appearance of skin spots.
Diagnosis of dermatitis
The initial diagnosis depends on the type of rash, its size, color, and where it is located in the skin, as this can help in diagnosing the condition accurately.
Sometimes the condition is diagnosed by doing a patch test, where a patch containing a group of substances is placed on the patient''s skin, and then checked for any skin reactions.
Dermatitis treatment
Treatment of dermatitis varies according to the severity of the patient''s condition, as it can include the following:
Applying corticosteroid creams to the affected skin helps reduce inflammation.
Using immune system suppressant creams, such as: Calcineurin.
Expose the affected area to a small amount of natural or artificial light.
Use of oral corticosteroid tablets in severe infections.
Prevention of dermatitis
Dermatitis can be prevented by the following
Make sure to wear protective clothing when exposed to chemicals.
Use detergents without fragrances that may cause skin irritation.
Gently dry the body after showering.
Moisturizing the skin continuously using moisturizing creams.
