Allergic Contact Dermatitis Patient Education

Allergic Contact Dermatitis Patient Education

Patients have the best prognosis when they are able to remember the materials to which they are allergic and how to avoid further exposures. Provide patients with as much information as possible concerning the chemical to which they are allergic, including all known names of the chemical. Web sites, Smartphone applications, standard textbooks, and the TRUE test kit contain basic information about the chemicals.

Susceptible individuals need to read the list of ingredients before applying cosmetic products to their skin, since preservative chemicals are used widely in consumer, medical, and workplace products. The same chemical may have different names when used for consumer or industrial purposes.

Provide pamphlets with color pictures of poison ivy to individuals allergic to the plant. The American Academy of Dermatology also has pamphlets on allergic contact dermatitis and hand eczema.

For patient education information, see the Skin, Hair, and Nails Center, as well asContact Dermatitis.

Source: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1049216-overview#a7

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