Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is hereditary and the most common type of eczema. In Canada, the lifetime prevalence is higher than the worldwide average. It is estimated that up to 17% of Canadians suffer from AD at some point in their lives (Eczema Prevalence in Canada. Ipsos-Insight Health, 2003).
AD usually starts in infants and young children and is characterized by itchy, inflamed skin, usually behind the knees, the inside of the elbows, and on the face, neck and hands. Children with eczema often develop asthma and/or hay fever and have family members who also have these problems.
Contact Dermatitis: There are two types of contact dermatitis: allergic and irritant.
Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD) is caused by a delayed immune reaction following skin contact with an allergenic substance. About 48 hours after contact with the allergen, the skin becomes inflamed. Poison ivy is the most common cause of ACD. Other common causes include metals, dyes, perfumes and preservatives in cosmetics.
Irritant Contact Dermatitis is more common than ACD and is caused by repeated exposure to substances that chemically damage the skin, such as harsh soaps, detergents, and cleaning products. These irritants remove oil and moisture from the outer layer of the skin, damaging the protective layer and triggering inflammation.
Two causes of contact dermatitis are exposure to allergens and irritants. An allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to a chemical. An irritant can be a strong soap or chemical.
Exposure to allergens and irritants frequently occurs in the workplace.
An allergy causes contact dermatitis in two ways:
Irritant contact dermatitis is produced by repeated exposure to a harsh or drying chemical that damages the outer skin barrier. Damage can be:
The number of cases of contact dermatitis in Canada is not currently known but according to some US statistics, skin disorders comprise more than forty-five percent of all occupationally related diseases. Among all occupational dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis accounts for about 80 percent and allergic contact dermatitis accounts for about 30 percent (some patients have both).
Most workers who have contact dermatitis can return to work. It will depend on:
Ask yourself these questions:
If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, consult your dermatologist.
Use several layers of cheesecloth or soft cotton cloth cut to fit over the affected area.
|Agriculture workers||Artificial fertilizers, disinfectants, pesticides, cleaners, gasoline, diesel oil, plants and grains||Rubber, oats, barley, animal feed, veterinary medications, cement, plants, pesticides, wood preservatives|
|Cabinet makers, and carpenters||Glues, detergents, thinners, solvents, wood preservatives||Stains, glues, woods, turpentine, varnishes, colophony|
|Construction workers||Cement||Chromates, cobalt, rubber and leather gloves, resins, woods|
|Daycare workers||Detergents, cleaners, wet work||—|
|Dentists and dental technicians||Detergents, hand cleansers, wet work||Local anaesthetics, mercury, methacrylates, eugenol, disinfectants, rubber, dental impression material|
|Electricians||Soldering fluxes||Fluxes, resins, rubber|
|Hairdressers||Permanent wave solutions, shampoos, bleaching agents, wet work||Dyes, persulphates, nickel, perfumes, rubber|
|Homemakers||Detergents, cleansers, foods, wet work||Rubber gloves, foods, spices, flavours, nickel, chromates, polishes|
|Mechanics||Oils, greases, gasoline, diesel fuel, cleaners, solvents||Rubber gloves, chromates, epoxy resin, antifreeze|
|Medical personnel, Nurses, Hospital workers||Disinfectants, detergents, wet work||Latex gloves, anaesthetics, antibiotics, antiseptics, phenothiazines, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, liquid chloroxylenol, hand creams|
|Plastics workers||Solvents, acids, styrene, oxidizing agents||Hardeners, phenolic resins, polyurethanes, acrylics, plasticizers|
Information provided by WSIB. View the full Workplace Contact Dermatitis fact sheet