Would you like to switch to the accessible version of this site?

Go to accessible site Close modal window

Don't need the accessible version of this site?

Hide the accessibility button Close modal window
Accessibility View Close toolbar
Menu
  • Home
  • The Practice
    • Offices
    • Insurance
  • Our Services
    • Surgical Dermatology
    • Aesthetics
    • Cosmetic Dermatology
  • Our Providers
  • Patient Resources
    • Join Our Email List
    • Make a Payment
    • Patient Portal
    • AAD Resources
  • Skin Care Products
  • Contact Us
Dermatology Practice Logo

Grand Strand Dermatology, LLC

"Love The Skin You're In"

Visit our Patient Portal
Join our Email List
Make an Online Payment

9400 Frontage Road (Hwy 17 Bypass)

Murrell Inlet, SC 29576

(843) 215-1100

933 Medical Circle

Myrtle Beach, SC 29572

(843) 215-1100

843-215-1211

Check us out on Social Media

logo
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Pamphlets >
  • Allergic Contact Rashes

Allergic Contact Rashes

  • Created in Pamphlets

An allergic contact rash (also called allergic contact dermatitis) is a skin reaction that occurs when allergy-causing substances (allergens) touch your skin. If you are sensitive to them, the allergens can cause an itchy rash on swollen, reddened skin. The skin may blister, ooze, form a crust, or flake off. Sometimes the rash may take 2-3 days to develop after exposure to the allergen.

The best way to prevent this type of rash is to find what you are allergic to and avoid contact with it.

COMMON CAUSES

Metals

You come in contact with products containing metal every day, such as your jewelry, coins, zippers and the buttons on your jeans. Metals can also be found in dental fillings, keys, food and cell phones. You may even come into contact with metal on the job. Allergic contact rashes are common in industries that use cement, metal, leather, some matches, paints, epoxy-based sealants, and anti-rust products. Allergic contact rashes can also occur from medical implants, such as stents in the arteries of the heart or implants for hip and knee replacements.

Nickel is the most common metal to cause skin allergies. Nickel is in many metal products, including gold jewelry.

  • Earrings containing nickel can cause a rash on the ears. People who are allergic to nickel should wear nickel-free jewelry and look for earrings with nickel-free posts and backings. Platinum, sterling silver, and pure gold (18K or greater) are less likely to cause an allergic reaction.
  • Certain metals are used to tan leather for shoes and can cause “shoe dermatitis” (a rash on the foot). Vegetable-tanned footwear is an option.

Allergic contact dermatitis to nickel sulfate
Allergic contact dermatitis to nickel sulfate

Rubber

Latex and synthetic rubber products can cause allergic contact rashes. Latex rubber gloves can cause an allergic contact rash on the hands. You are more likely to have this type of allergy if you have inherited allergies, such as eczema or asthma, food allergies, or hand dermatitis.

  • If you have a latex allergy, you should wear vinyl gloves, shoes with soles that are not rubber, and underwear with elastic bands that do not contain latex.

PPD in Hair Color

Some people are sensitive to hair color and other products containing para-phenylenediamine (PPD). This chemical is in long-lasting hair colors that are mixed with another chemical, such as peroxide, before use.

If you are allergic to PPD, you should not use permanent hair color. Try temporary hair color or color rinses. If you are coloring your hair at home, you should always test whether you are sensitive to hair color or color rinses before using. Do a skin patch test, typically recommended on most boxed hair color. Put a bit of dye on your skin and wait 48 hours to see if a reaction develops. If you do not see a reaction, it’s likely you can safely color your hair at home or the salon.

PPD may be mixed with henna for temporary tattoos. If you are allergic to PPD, you will likely react to these tattoos. In severe reactions, blistering and scarring may result.

PPD in Clothing

Allergies to PPD also may cause sensitivity to inks and dyes used in other products, such as clothing.

If you are allergic to PPD, you may find wearing dark-colored clothing difficult. Many of the dyes that make dark colors come from PPD.

Avoid clothing made of synthetic fibers like polyester, acrylic, or nylon. Many of the dyes used to color these materials come from PPD.

Topical Antibiotics

Many topical antibiotics can cause allergic contact rashes. These are typically over-the-counter medications or treatments that you apply to the skin after you cut or scrape it. These include neomycin, bacitracin, gentamicin, kanamycin, and polymyxin.

The most common ingredients in topical antibiotics to cause allergic contact rashes are neomycin and bacitracin. These can be found in both prescription and non-prescription products, including non-prescription antibiotic creams, ointments, lotions, ear drops and eye drops.

  • If you are allergic, you should avoid these ingredients in topical antibiotic products. It is also regularly found in other antibiotics and corticosteroids, such as in over-the-counter triple antibiotic ointment.
  • For simple skin wounds or scrapes, use plain petroleum jelly on them.

Skin Care Products

Perfumes, lotions and cosmetics are common causes of allergic contact rashes. You may be sensitive to the fragrance chemicals or preservatives that prevent skin care products from spoiling.

  • Look for fragrance-free products. Be careful though because even products labeled “unscented” may still have a “masking” fragrance to cover up the smell of the chemicals.

Allergic contact dermatitis to nickel sulfate
Poison ivy rash

Poison Ivy and Related Plants

Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac cause allergic contact rashes for millions of North Americans each year. The oily sap in these plants can cause an itchy, blistering rash between one and three days after contact. About 85 percent of people react to oily sap in these plants but most often not until the second time they touch them. Often there are lines of small blisters where the plant brushed against the skin.

  • If you are sensitive to poison ivy, oak, and sumac, you may also be allergic to other plant oils and botanical extracts, such as tea tree, sesame, cinnamon, peppermint, olive, and castor oils.
  • You also may be allergic to furniture lacquer (varnish obtained from the Japanese lacquer tree), mango rinds, and cashew shells.

HOW ARE THEY DIAGNOSED?

Allergic contact rashes can be hard to tell apart from non-allergic rashes. Your dermatologist will inspect your rash and ask you to list the products that you encounter during the day at home or work. These clues will help your dermatologist identify the potential allergen. It is also helpful to keep a diary of things that are touched and when a reaction occurs.

Your dermatologist can use these clues to help narrow down the source of your sensitivity.

You may need an allergy skin test called patch testing. Patch testing is a safe, easy way to diagnose contact allergies. It requires three visits. On the first day, a small amount of your suspected allergens is placed on strips of tape and applied to the skin. After two days the strips are removed. There may or may not be a reaction. If there is a red spot at the site of a patch on the third visit (generally four days after the patches were initially placed), you may have a contact allergy.

HOW ARE THEY TREATED?

Mild rashes most often respond to steroid creams and/or oral (taken by mouth) antihistamines. You also may need to apply moist compresses (cloths) to blisters for a few days and cover blisters with bandages. The wet wraps help keep skin moist, improve the effectiveness of topical medicine, and can have a cooling anti-itch effect on the rash.

Allergic contact dermatitis to nickel sulfate
Allergy to Fragrance in Lip Balm

For very bad rashes, your dermatologist may give you oral corticosteroids or injections (shots). You may need other anti-inflammatory medicines or immunologic therapies. If your skin becomes infected, you may need antibiotics.

Once you know the allergen that causes the reaction on your skin, you should avoid it. Your dermatologist will help you determine what you need to avoid and can suggest products that do not contain the allergen.

A board-certified dermatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating the medical, surgical and cosmetic conditions of the skin, hair and nails. To learn more or to find a board-certified dermatologist in your area, visit aad.org or call toll free (888) 462-DERM (3376).




All content solely developed by the American Academy of Dermatology.

Copyright © by the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Academy of Dermatology Association.

Images used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides

American Academy of Dermatology P.O. Box 1968, Des Plaines, Illinois 60017

AAD Public Information Center: 888.462.DERM (3376) AAD
Member Resource Center: 866.503.SKIN (7546) Outside the
United States: 847.240.1280
Web: aad.org
Email: [email protected]

  • Acne and rosacea
    • Exercise and sports
    • Rosacea
    • Stubborn acne
    • Teenage acne
  • Bumps and growths
    • Moles
    • Birthmarks
    • Scars
  • Color problems
  • Contagious skin diseases
    • Cold sores
    • Genital herpes
  • Cosmetic treatments
    • Cellulite treatments
    • Laser treatment for scars
    • Liposuction
  • Dry / sweaty skin
  • Eczema / dermatitis
  • Hair and scalp problems
  • Itchy skin
  • Painful skin / joints
  • Rashes
  • Scaly skin
  • Skin cancer
    • Melanoma
  • Skin, hair, and nail care
    • Skin care
    • Hair care / hair loss
    • Injured skin
    • Nail care
    • Anti aging skin care
  • Other conditions
  • Videos
  • Pamphlets

Skin Cancer Removal Procedures

Skin Cancer patients can expect a surgical plan to remove their skin cancer based on the location , size, and type of tumor. Most treatments to remove cancerous lesions can be conducted under local anesthesia.

 

The Skin Cancer is removed with a Surgical tool called a curette with a hoop or scoop on the end for scraping. An electric current is then applied to the area through a needle-like electrode designed to kill the remaining cancer cells and reduce bleeding.

After care instructions: The ED&C site must be kept clean if it is to heal rapidly. It is a small open wound which may or may not leave a scar. To clean the site, follow these instructions

First Wash Your Hands With Soap and Water

1. Remove Initial dressing in 24 hours.

2. Wash the area with soap and water twice a day. Apply a thin film of Aquaphor or Vaseline and cover with a fresh bandage until healing has occurred. This may take up to 2/4 week, depending on size of the wound and location.

3. Do not use Neosporin or other over the counter topical antibiotics as allergies to these medications are quite common and they can slow down healing.

4. Keep wound moist with Vaseline and band-aid, as stated in number 2. A scab or leaving it open to the environment will slow down healing.

It is normal for the site to become puffy, reddened, or irritated. However, if the site is warm to the touch, oozing, or severely reddened or very sore, you need to contact the office at (843)215-1100.

 

The skin cancer growth is removed with surgical excision by cutting or shaving it out of the skin with a scalpel. Local anesthesia is used to numb the affected area. Depending on the type of tumor, our surgeons my remove a certain amount of surrounding tissue. 

After Care Instructions: First Wash Your Hands With Soap and Water

1. You may apply an ice pack following surgery. Apply the ice pack on for 20 minutes, and then remove for 20 minutes, and repeat the process as needed. 

2. Remember, applying direct pressure to the surgery site stops bleeding.

3. You may take Tylenol for Pain if needed.

4. Leave the wound dressing on for 24 hours

5. While showering, remove your current dressing and clean your wound, and the remove for gently with warm water and soap to remove any dried blood and prevent scab formation.

6. Apply Vaseline ointment at least one time daily, and cover the entire wound with a band-aide or gauze dressing.

7. On your scheduled day of suture removal, cleanse the wound, and leave the area DRY(do not apply any ointment) and return to our office at your scheduled time to have the sutures removed

8. If your wound is in the beard area on your face or other area where you normally shave, please avoid shaving near the wound.

9. If the surgical site starts to bleed excessively and doesn't stop with applied pressure for 15 minutes, the dressing become saturated with blood. If there is excessive swelling or the site become inflamed and warm to the touch. Call the office at 843-215-1100

 

The surgeon removes the visible skin cancer and come surrounding tissue via and incision. The removed tissue is frozen, dyed, and evaluated under a microscope by a pathologist to see if the cancer has been removed entirely. If cancerous cells are still present, the process of excision and evaluation is repeated until the cancer is no longer detected. The diagnosis of the removed tissue is made in real-time, so the patient can be confirmed cancer-free the same day. The process can take several hours to fulling remove the cancer.

After Care Instructions: First Wash Your Hands With Soap and Water

1. You may apply an ice pack following surgery. Apply the ice pack on for 20 minutes, and then remove for 20 minutes, and repeat the process as needed. 

2. Remember, applying direct pressure to the surgery site stops bleeding.

3. You may take Tylenol for Pain if needed.

4. Leave the wound dressing on for 24 hours

5. While showering, remove your current dressing and clean your wound, and the remove for gently with warm water and soap to remove any dried blood and prevent scab formation.

6. Apply Vaseline ointment at least one time daily, and cover the entire wound with a band-aide or gauze dressing.

7. On your scheduled day of suture removal, cleanse the wound, and leave the area DRY(do not apply any ointment) and return to our office at your scheduled time to have the sutures removed

8. If your wound is in the beard area on your face or other area where you normally shave, please avoid shaving near the wound.

9. If the surgical site starts to bleed excessively and doesn't stop with applied pressure for 15 minutes, the dressing become saturated with blood. If there is excessive swelling or the site become inflamed and warm to the touch. Call the office at 843-215-1100

 

Typically used to treat minor skin cancers and pre-cancerous lesions, cryosurgery involves the use of liquid nitrogen to freeze and destroy the cancer cells. The procedure, also known as cryotherapy is repeated until the affected area no longer shows signs of pre-cancer or cancer.

After Care Instructions: 

1. You do note need to cover the area treated, unless instructed to do so.

2. The discomfort is temporary but may last for 10-30 minutes after treatment.

3. the area may appear red for up to one hour after freezing but often returns to normal color within 10-15 minutes.

4. A blister may form within 24 hours of treatment. this may be clear fluid filled or blood filled, if it is uncomfortable, you may drain it by using a clean needle cleansed with alcohol. If this is done, cover with a Band-Aid and Vaseline ointment for approximately one week. This bandage should be changed daily. 

5. Sometimes a scab will will form over the area treated. This will come off on its own and does not need to be covered.

6. If you have any questions or concerns after reading the above information, please do not hesitate to call our office at 843-215-1100



Side Effects of Skin Cancer Removal 

With any kind of skin cancer removal, scarring is likely to occur. Incision sites may be sore, red, or drain small amounts of fluid. Healing will continue for weeks and even months after your surgery, incision lines will fade and continue to improve. Sun exposure on wounds and scar lines can result in irregular pigmentation or cause the sight to become red, raised, or dark, so patients should follow post-op preventative instructions carefully. 

Specials

vday lasers

20%off val

vday sepcial

Our Locations

Find us on the map

Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

8:00 AM-4:00 PM

Tuesday:

8:00 AM-4:00 PM

Wednesday:

8:00 AM-4:00 PM

Thursday:

8:00 AM-4:00 PM

Friday:

8:00 AM-12:00 PM

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

  • Copyright © 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba Officite.
  • Admin Log In
  • Site Map