Page 92 - LECTURE NOTES

- Extreme cold and heat

- Pre – existing skin diseases
Ideally contact dermatitis is confirmed using patch test

Management

The objectives of the management are to rest the involved skin and to prevent further
exposure of the patient to the causative agents.

NB. No amount of treatment can control the disease if the patient continues to come in

contact with the agent, where as if further exposures to the agent are prevented, the
patient tends to recover even without any treatment.

It is important to encourage the patient to wash the skin area with soap and water, to
wash if the remnants of the antigens, which may still be lying on the skin. Treatment of

dermatitis consists of local compresses with saline or potassium permanganate twice

daily followed by local application of a corticosteroid ointment,. In sever cases and
secondary bacterial infection antibiotic may be necessary. If the itching is very severe

oral antihistamine tablets may be given twice or three times a day and in very severe

and generalized case a short course of systematic corticosteroid may be helpful in
providing quick relief.

- As a rule, a dose of corticosteroids equal to 30 mg of prednisolone a day is

sufficient and once the disease has been controlled, this can be quickly with
deceased over the next two weeks

N.B normally, not advice to use systemic corticosteroid, if topical steroids doesn’t

help, you can refer the person to higher-level health facility

Note: Corticosteroid have got anti-inflammatory and anti allergic effect.

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