When people hear the word “dermatitis,” they often think it is just a single condition. However, it is actually an entire range of different conditions. Each of these exhibits slightly differently, is triggered in different ways, and requires different treatments.
This article will look at two specific dermatitis forms: atopic and contact dermatitis. It will explain what each condition is, what the similarities are, what the differences are, and what treatment options exist. Keep reading to find out more.
Related: The Connection Between Atopic Dermatitis and Allergies
What Is Dermatitis?
Dermatitis is a general term that refers to several skin conditions. Each of these conditions is characterized by skin that is red, inflamed, dry, and itchy. Though these symptoms vary in intensity, their general presence indicates that the condition is a type of dermatitis.
While there are many different types of dermatitis, they vary in rarity. Two of the most prominent and well-known are atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis.
What Is Atopic Dermatitis?
Atopic dermatitis is commonly referred to as eczema. This is a chronic condition that can last for years at a time or can last for someone’s entire life. For most, it appears during childhood, but atopic dermatitis has the potential to appear at any age.
Symptoms of atopic dermatitis often involve a red rash that appears in patches around the body. These rashes are itchy and dry, with the potential to turn scaly or start cracking. Atopic dermatitis also commonly comes with a series of small, raised, red bumps that appear across the skin. When these bumps are scratched, they may break open and ooze, which can result in them caking over with a crusty layer.
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What Is Contact Dermatitis?
Contact dermatitis results from someone coming into contact with something that causes them to experience an allergic reaction. The dermatitis that results from this is referred to as contact dermatitis.
The actual rash that occurs as a result of this is very similar to the rash that occurs with atopic dermatitis. It involves a red rash that itches, cracks, is dry, and has the potential to become scaly. In addition, small, raised, red bumps often appear and start to ooze when itched too much. Contact dermatitis may even result in swelling of the skin.
Diagnosing Atopic and Contact Dermatitis
Diagnosing atopic and contact dermatitis can be difficult because both present in a similar way. They result in itchy rashes that can even look similar. To make matters worse, atopic and contact dermatitis can both be present at once.
However, there are ways to tell the difference. Watching out for these differences means paying close attention to when flare-ups happen and where the rashes appear.
Paying attention to fare-ups is important because the mechanism for topic and contact flare-ups is different. In atopic dermatitis, the flare-ups happen quite randomly. They may occur every now and then over short periods of time or could occur with years in between. Meanwhile, in contact dermatitis, the flare-ups will be a direct result of coming into contact with something. This will happen shortly after contact is made, last for a few weeks, and then be completely gone until contact is made with another allergen or irritant.
Where these rashes appear helps tell the difference as well. Atopic dermatitis will usually present on many parts of the body. It may appear on the legs and the face at the same time or on both sides of the body at the same time. Meanwhile, contact dermatitis will only present around where contact with an allergen or irritant is made. This usually means that the rash is more limited and controlled.
Related: Understanding the Link Between Stress and Atopic Dermatitis
Triggers of Atopic and Contact Dermatitis
Both atopic and contact dermatitis have triggers that cause the condition to flare. Avoiding these helps minimize the flare-ups someone with the condition will have to deal with.
Triggers for atopic dermatitis include many general issues that stress the body. These include common allergens like dust and sweat, along with a few common irritants like harsh soaps and detergents. Hot showers and baths can exacerbate the issue by increasing the size of your pores and, in doing so, increasing the chance that your skin will take on these triggers. In some cases, atopic dermatitis can even be triggered by diet, meaning people with this condition may need to watch what they eat.
Triggers for contact dermatitis include just about anything that could irritate the skin. This can include harsh soaps, certain chemicals, cosmetics, and other general allergens. Many people can have regular bouts of contact dermatitis if they constantly come into contact with an allergen. For example, metals can be allergens, and these metals may be used in clothing that comes into contact with skin, causing a flare-up anytime that clothing is worn. So, knowing what to avoid and then actively avoiding it can help eliminate contact dermatitis almost entirely.
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Treating Atopic and Contact Dermatitis
One of the most effective ways of treating atopic and contact dermatitis is to avoid triggers. In many cases, this goes a long way in preventing the conditions from becoming a problem at all. However, there are also other ways in which the conditions can be managed.
One of these is through the use of topical treatments. These include many types of skincare products designed to either minimize the rashes themselves or mitigate the symptoms that come with them. Lotions and creams exist that will soothe the skin in a way that prevents the dermatitis from flaring up, or that deals with the itching and dryness that comes with them. So, treating dermatitis can be as easy as incorporating new products and steps into your existing skincare routine.
In more serious cases, oral medications may be necessary. Atopic dermatitis can often be treated with an oral steroid, such as prednisone. Meanwhile, contact dermatitis usually responds well to an antihistamine like Benadryl but, like atopic dermatitis, can be treated with steroids in serious cases.
Atopic vs. Contact Dermatitis
Both atopic and contact dermatitis are uncomfortable conditions that no one wants to deal with. However, properly managing these conditions starts with understanding what they are and how they work. Once you’ve done this, you can more effectively treat them.
Related: Genetic, Environmental, Prenatal Risk Factors Play Role in Early Atopic Dermatitis
