Abstract
The treatment of and rehabilitation methods in contact dermatitis and the evidence supporting them are presented, following the “rule of the four Rs”: recognize (the causative allergic/irritant agent), remove (the irritant/allergen), reduce inflammation, and restore the skin barrier. Avoidance of the inducing allergen(s) and/or irritant(s) is the most important aspect in the management of contact dermatitis, and the different measures are reviewed. The principles of basic topical therapy and the treatment modalities – topical corticosteroids, topical calcineurin inhibitors, retinoids, phototherapy, X-ray therapy, and systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents – are described. Their effects on the skin barrier function, as well as those of moisturizers and other factors influencing barrier recovery, are examined separately.
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Ludriksone, L., Antonov, D., Schliemann, S., Elsner, P. (2021). Therapy of Allergic and Irritant Contact Dermatitis. In: Johansen, J.D., Mahler, V., Lepoittevin, JP., Frosch, P.J. (eds) Contact Dermatitis. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36335-2_72
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