Symptoms of Contact Dermatitis

Itching and a burning sensation, erythema, oedema, blisters, flaking and/or cracking.  

It may affect any part of the skin that has direct contact with the external agent (most typically irritant contact dermatitis), or it may spread to other areas far from the location where there was initial contact (more common in allergic contact dermatitis). Nevertheless, the two types of contact dermatitis may be clinically indistinguishable.  

There are specific patterns such as airborne, in which the lesions are found on the eyelids, neck or back of the hands. There are also phototoxic reactions that appear when the patient has contact with the allergen and, subsequently, is exposed to ultraviolet radiation.  

Generalised skin lesions. Systemic contact dermatitis may appear when the allergen (typically a medicine) is ingested, inhaled or injected.