If you’re experiencing an irritating rash after wearing your favorite necklace or earrings, you could have allergic contact dermatitis. Allergic contact dermatitis is a type of inflammatory skin condition. It’s also known as a contact allergy because it’s caused by a reaction to an allergen touching your skin.
Some symptoms appear within a few hours after contact. But long-term symptoms may take weeks or months to develop if you repeatedly encounter the allergen. Treatment usually involves a mix of avoiding the allergen and taking medication to relieve symptoms as and when they appear.
In this article, we begin by outlining common allergic dermatitis triggers and symptoms. Later, we discuss how it’s diagnosed and treated.