Therapy and rehabilitation of allergic and irritant contact dermatitis

Abstract

The treatment of and rehabilitation methods in contact dermatitis and the evidence supporting them are presented, following the rule of the four Rs: recognize (the causative allergic/irritant agent), remove (the irritant/allergen), reduce inflammation and restore the skin barrier. Avoidance of the inducing allergen(s) and/or irritant(s) is the most important aspect in the management of contact dermatitis and the different measures are reviewed. The principles of basic topical therapy and the treatment modalities - topical corticosteroids, topical cacineurine inhibitors, retinoids, phototherapy, X-ray therapy and systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents - are described. Their effects on the skin barrier function, as well as those of moisturizers and other factors influencing barrier recovery, are examined separately. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.