Dermatitis means inflammation of the skin. Any number of things can cause a skin irritation and sometimes the precise diagnosis is of less interest to the suffering party than the remedy. Poison Ivy and Eczema are types of contact dermatitis.Contact dermatitis is an allergy to something that touches the skin. Most cases involve a rash that can include itchy, red blisters, which can ooze and then develop a crust. In most cases the rash will disappear when the allergen is removed, though sometimes if the allergen has been in contact with the skin for a while, the rash may continue for days or weeks after the allergen is removed.The only way to cure a case of contact dermatitis is to remove the source of the allergen. In many cases, you know exactly what caused the problem. Sometimes a new cosmetic or deodorant can cause a reaction and when you stop using the substance, the reaction disappears.Listed below are body parts and common allergenic substances that can affect them.Scalp - Often the rash will appear on the eyelids, neck, face, and ears and sometimes, especially when a substance was applied to the hair, on the hands. Sources are most commonly shampoos, […]

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Foot dermatitis is a very serious and common skin condition, one which is basically an inflammation of the skin, and there are several different types, including cercarial dermatitis, dermatitis herpetiformis, atopic dermatitis, seborrhoeic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, nummular dermatitis, and dyshidrotic dermatitis.

It is a condition which has often been confused with eczema, but in fact the differences between the two are quite startling. The typical rash caused by foot dermatitis shows up as red and itchy, and will most likely be very irritating. Although the rash itself will vary in appearance depending on its severity and the length of time that it has been there, acute dermatitis tends to be blistery, subacute dermatitis scaly, and chronic dermatitis has lichenification, which is basically just very thick skin.

Diagnosis

When it comes to the diagnosis of foot dermatitis, it is most typically diagnosed clinically, which means that your family doctor will generally notice and diagnose it. The diagnosis will be based on the history and appearance of the rash, and it may take them a bit of time to decipher just what particular type of foot dermatitis you actually have.

It is particularly tricky because the different types are all so similar in appearance and symptoms, and as well because there are very few tests that can be performed in order to help clarify the situation here. Foot dermatitis and any other type of dermatitis for that matter can really only be treated once a proper diagnosis has been made, which is why at the first sight of this sort of condition you need to get in to see your doctor right away.

Treatment

The particular treatment that will be recommended for you will vary depending on your specific condition, however there are a few basic things that you should do regardless of the type of dermatitis that you have and the severity or mildness of it.

One is to make sure to keep your skin as moisturized as you can, and any cream will work well here although the best are those with cocoa butter or vitamin E as ingredients. You also want to reduce itching and scratching of the skin with topical medications, of which you can either purchase over-the-counter or get a prescription for from your doctor.

Topical steroids for instance are quite popular here, and have a proven track record of being incredibly effective. Just make sure that you speak to your doctor before going ahead with any form of treatment in order to make sure that you are not putting yourself at any risk.

There are quite a few different types of dermatitis, but one of the most common is dermatitis atopica. This skin condition is basically an inflammation of the skin, and is a long-term skin disease, meaning that most people who develop it end up having to deal with it for the rest of their life, similar to psoriasis and eczema.

Symptoms

Although some people do not notice their symptoms, there are a few that are very popular among dermatitis atopica sufferers, including dry and itchy skin, rashes on the hands and face, swelling, cracking, crusting, thick skin, and scaling. The more severe cases of dermatitis atopica are of course much easier to notice, however the problem is that it often takes a long period of time before the skin condition becomes recognized as something other than just dry skin.

Although dermatitis atopica most often occurs in children, it can affect anyone at any age, although the fortunate thing is that in most cases when children have the condition although they end up having to deal with it for the rest of their lives, it does get milder as they age.

It is believed that dermatitis atopica is hereditary, and so if someone in your family has suffered with the condition then the odds are increased that you may develop it as well. Environmental factors are also thought to potentially play a role here, and people who develop dermatitis atopica often have other health conditions first, especially those related to allergies.

Diagnosis

In terms of diagnosis, every person is different and the symptoms will be different from one case to another as well. This is what makes it so difficult to actually even notice that you have a skin condition, however as soon as you start noticing any signs of severely dry skin, namely chapping and breaking of the skin, you will want to speak to your doctor immediately.

They will be able to do a few tests and determine whether or not you have dry skin or something more serious, such as dermatitis or a related skin disease.

There are a few elements that are going to worsen your dermatitis symptoms and thus which you will want to stay away from if you do develop the condition, and this includes cigarette smoke, alcohol, dust and sand, perfumes, makeup, and soaps and cleaners.

Just remember, even if your condition is very severe, that there are methods of treatment available and you will be able to get help for your condition and get back to feeling like your old self again.