Diagnosing allergic contact dermatitis

In order to correctly diagnose allergic contact dermatitis it is important to distinguish between the three types of eczema: allergic contact eczema, irritant contact eczema, and atopic dermatitis.

After a detailed anamnesis, a careful clinical examination of the eczema – including the documentation of the localization, the stage, and the suspected mechanism – are central. A so-called patch test may then help to identify the culprits and diagnose a true allergic contact eczema.