Diagnosis of Contact Dermatitis

Clinical history. The diagnosis is based on a thorough interview which includes history of skin diseases, occupation, items of personal use, characteristics of the workplace, causes of exacerbation and improvement, development time and severity of the lesions.  

Epicutaneous or patch tests. When an allergen mechanism is suspected as the cause of the clinical picture, this type of test is carried out as the standard diagnostic method. Epicutaneous tests consist of re-exposing the patient to the suspected allergens under controlled conditions. They are indicated in the study of some skin diseases (such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, etc.) to rule out types of contact dermatitis that aggravate the picture, especially in cases that do not correctly respond to the usual treatments, or when the course of the disease is not as expected.