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Dermatite de contato

Last reviewed: 29 Sep 2025
Last updated: 20 Jun 2023

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • história ocupacional de exposição
  • história de dermatite atópica
  • episódios prévios de dermatite semelhante
  • início agudo
  • afetando as mãos e a face
  • afetando a pele exposta ao sol
  • efeito poupador de áreas da pele não expostas
  • prurido
  • queimação
  • eritema
  • vesículas e bolhas
  • urticária
  • lesões liquenoides
  • corrosão ou ulceração
  • pústulas e lesões acneiformes
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • descamação
  • liquenificação
  • história de exposição social
  • persistência dos sintomas
  • crostas
  • eritema multiforme
  • lesões celulíticas
  • leucoderma
  • hipopigmentação/despigmentação
  • hiperpigmentação
  • púrpura
  • miliária
  • alopécia
  • lesões granulomatosas
Full details

Risk factors

  • ocupação com exposição frequente à água ou material cáustico
  • dermatite atópica
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • teste de contato
Full details

Tests to consider

  • teste de aplicação aberta repetida (TAAR) ou teste de uso provocativo (TUP)
  • biópsia de pele
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

dermatite de contato irritativa (DCI)

dermatite alérgica de contato (DAC)

ONGOING

dermatite de contato

Contributors

Authors

JiaDe Yu, MD, FAAD

Assistant Professor of Adult and Pediatric Dermatology

Director of Contact and Occupational Dermatology

Department of Dermatology

Massachusetts General Hospital

Harvard Medical School

Boston

MA

Disclosures

JY was on the board for the American Contact Dermatitis Society from 2019-2022 (term ended and unpaid). JY has received a career development grant from the Dermatology Foundation and research grants from the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance and the American Contact Dermatitis Society. JY has received honorarium from the National Eczema Association for consultant work as part of its SEAL of approval project, and is on the editorial board for the Pediatric Dermatology journal and the Dermatitis journal.

Acknowledgements

Dr JiaDe Yu would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Gerard Guillet, Dr David M. Ozog, and Dr Snehal Desai, previous contributors to this topic.

Disclosures

GG, DMO, and SD declare that they have no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Christen Mowad, MD

Assistant Professor

Department of Dermatology

Geisinger Medical Center

Danville

PA

Disclosures

CM declares that he has no competing interests.

John English, MBBS, FRCP

Consultant Dermatologist

Department of Dermatology

Queen's Medical Centre

Nottingham University Hospitals

Nottingham

UK

Disclosures

JE declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Johnston GA, Exton LS, Mohd Mustapa MF, et al. British Association of Dermatologists' guidelines for the management of contact dermatitis 2017. Br J Dermatol. 2017 Feb;176(2):317-29.Full text  Abstract

Johansen JD, Aalto-Korte K, Agner T, et al. European Society of Contact Dermatitis guideline for diagnostic patch testing: recommendations on best practice. Contact Dermatitis. 2015 Oct;73(4):195-221.Full text  Abstract

Fonacier L, Bernstein DI, Pacheco K, et al; American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Contact dermatitis: a practice parameter - update 2015. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2015 May-Jun;3(3 Suppl):S1-39.Full text  Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
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  • Guidelines

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    • Pediatric allergic contact dermatitis. Part 2: Patch testing series, procedure, and unique scenarios
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  • Patient information

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