Different Types of Dermatitis You Should Know

Dealing with skin issues can feel troubling in more ways than one, but you may be wondering what kind of problems plague your skin. It’s common to think of dermatitis since it’s a catch-all term that generally refers to inflammation of the skin that appears as red rashes, dry skin, or flakiness, most of which come with its fair share of itchiness.

What Is Dermatitis?

The word itself refers to inflammation from “itis,” while “derm” refers to the “skin.” When combined, dermatitis describes different skin issues with unique causes from genetics, infections, allergies, and more. Here are different types of dermatitis you should know:

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

One of the most common types of dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, is triggered by outside elements that are irritant to the skin — from fragrances, hair dyes, preservatives, rubber, latex products, and even certain metals. When it comes into contact with your skin, allergic contact dermatitis appears as red, itchy, and scaly rashes in the affected area.

Irritant Contact Dermatitis

Like allergic contact dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis is a form of skin allergy due to irritants included in solvents, cleaning agents, soaps, and more. But instead of affecting concentrated areas, this type of dermatitis appears and spreads all over the body.

Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is an immunologic disease that primarily impacts the skin by causing it to hyper-react to outside sources, but the worst part about this condition is its response to scratching. This is the type that itches the more you scratch, resulting in skin inflammation, cracking, blistering, and boils with clear liquid in them. People struggling with atopic dermatitis need to apply a prescribed ointment to relieve the itchiness and avoid making matters worse for their skin.

Hand Eczema

Unlike other types of eczema and forms of dermatitis, hand eczema requires aggressive treatment since it affects the part of the body that is always exposed to different irritants.

Neurodermatitis

Neurodermatitis creates an itch that you seemingly can’t scratch since the sensation stems from the nerve ends itself, causing the person to overly scratch. This leads to the skin eventually sustaining damage, resulting in red rashes and even scaly skin. It’s one of the more difficult forms of dermatitis to treat since it involves tapering the person from scratching an “unscratchable” itch.

The Bottom Line: Exploring Different Types of Dermatitis to Find the Right Treatment

Dermatitis branches into many forms, though, and knowing the specifics is crucial, primarily so you can apply the right treatment appropriate for your condition.

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