You switched to a new face cream because your usual one was out of stock, and two days later your cheeks are red and itchy. Or it's the earlobes every time you wear those new earrings. Or your hands crack and burn after a week of washing dishes. A rash that shows up exactly where something touched your skin is often contracted dermatitis. It's uncomfortable, but it usually isn't serious, and it settles much faster once you know what's causing it. At Dadu Medical Centre, a skin clinic in Delhi, contact dermatitis treatment starts with tracking down the trigger. Dr. Nivedita Dadu and her team then calm the rash and help you keep it from coming back.
Contact dermatitis is a skin reaction that happens when something you touch irritates your skin or sets off an allergy. The rash usually appears right where the substance made contact, which is often the biggest clue.
Common signs include redness, itching, burning, dry or cracked skin, swelling, and sometimes small blisters that ooze. How strongly people react varies a lot, even to the same product. The good news is that the rash usually clears up once the trigger is avoided, and much faster with proper treatment.
Almost anything can cause it in the wrong person, but some triggers turn up again and again.
Once you know what bothers your skin, keeping the rash away gets much easier.
Patch test new products. Try a little on your inner arm or behind your ear for two days before using it widely.
Wear gloves for housework. Cotton gloves under rubber ones protect hands from both detergent and rubber.
Pick nickel-free jewellery. Surgical steel, pure gold or silver are usually safer bets.
Cover metal buttons. A bit of clear nail polish or fabric tape on the back of jeans buttons helps.
Moisturize after washing your hands. It keeps the skin barrier strong and harder to irritate.
Rinse off quickly. If something stings or burns on contact, wash it off with plain water right away.
Be careful with hair dye and mehndi. Always do a patch test first, even with brands you've used before.
See a dermatologist if rashes keep returning. Guessing the trigger rarely works, and a proper check can pin it down.
Book a free consultation at our clinic in Delhi and find out what's really setting off that rash.
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Most people with contact dermatitis keep treating the rash while the cause keeps sitting in their bathroom or jewellery box. That's why it comes back. At Dadu Medical Centre, our doctors spend time going through what touches your skin every day: your soap, creams, hair dye, jewellery, work materials, even the gloves you wear. If the trigger still isn't clear, testing can help narrow it down. Dr. Nivedita Dadu and her team then treat the rash and give you a practical list of what to avoid and what to use instead. Once you know your trigger, staying clear of it gets a lot easier.
Usually a red, itchy rash right where something touched the skin. It can also burn, crack, swell or form small blisters that ooze.
Either something irritating the skin directly, like detergent or cement, or an allergy to a specific substance, like nickel, fragrance or hair dye.
The first step is finding the trigger, sometimes with a patch test. The rash is then treated with prescription creams and antihistamines, along with a gentle skincare routine.
No. It's a reaction of your own skin, so you can't pass it on to anyone.
Once the trigger is avoided and treatment starts, most rashes settle within one to three weeks. Long-standing hand dermatitis can take longer.
Small amounts of common allergens are placed on your back under tape for a couple of days. The skin is then checked to see which one caused a reaction.
Yes. Allergies can develop at any point, even to something that never bothered you before.
It can, if you're exposed to the same trigger again. That's why knowing exactly what caused it makes such a difference.
Better not to. Using them without guidance, especially on the face, can thin the skin and cause new problems.
Yes. Common triggers in kids include soaps, wipes, fragranced creams and nickel in toys or clothing snaps. Treatment is adjusted for their skin.
Book a free consultation at our clinic in Delhi and find out what's really setting off that rash.
A-2/6, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi - 110057
+91 98109 77786 / +91 96677 21501
J-12/28, 1st Floor, Near Rajouri Garden Metro Station, New Delhi - 110027
+91 98109 77786 / +91 96677 21501
Recognised for excellence in dermatology and skin care.
Safe clinical protocols and technology-led treatment planning.
Personalised care delivered by experienced dermatology professionals.
