Contact Dermatitis is caused by the direct action of a substance on the skin causing inflammation and can result in red, itchy and dry skin at the point of contact.

While eczema and contact dermatitis look quite alike they should not be confused. Dermatitis symptoms can be greatly improved by identifying the irritant and removing it from contact. Common irritants include:

Harsh preservatives - parabens found in skincare products
Latex - avoid rubber gloves, elastic in clothing
Certain foods - try avoiding one food at a time to see if the reaction reduces
Lanolin - found in some skincare products
Detergents & Soaps - try non-biological washing powder
Plants - poison ivy
Paraphenylenediamine - hair dyes
Cromate - found in leather shoes and cement
Petrol Products
Acids/Alkalis

Contact Dermatitis is most common on the hands due to constant hand washing with harsh products, which can dry and further irritate the skin. It is important to avoid anti-bacterial hand washes if your hands are dry and irritated as their harsh and drying ingredients can make skin even more irritated.

Instead, try elave hand wash (£4.99/€6.99) which cleanses hands without dryness or irritation. Follow by applying elave intensive cream (or why not treat yourself to our fabulous elave dermo-cosmetic hand treatment for extra care! To encourage children to wash their hands themselves, choose elave junior hand wash.