Q. I had Atopic Eczema as a child, so am I more likely to develop Contact Dermatitis?
A. If you have, or have had, atopic eczema your skin is more vulnerable to Irritant Contact Dermatitis, particularly if the atopic eczema affected your hands, as atopic eczema is likely to have left you with a sensitivity to irritants.
Q. What is Patch Testing?
A. Patch testing is very safe. It is used to detect allergies to substances which come into direct contact with the skin. Patch testing is not used to detect irritant contact dermatitis and neither is is used for diagnosing food allergy. The choice of substances (sensitisers) tested will depend on a number of factors such as:
Where the eczema is
Your occupation and hobbies
Personal use of cosmetics or creams, lotions or ointments
The sensitisers are placed in small amounts in aluminium chambers attached to adhesive tape and placed on the back. They are left in place for 48 hours, removed and skin examined. After a further 2 days the skin is examined again. The dermatologist is looking for a positive reaction to one of the sensitisers. A positive reaction will be itchy, red, swollen and sometimes blistered.
Q. Will patch testing tell me whether I might become allergic to various substances?
Unfortunately there are no tests that can be undertaken to determine whether or not one will become allergic to substances.
A Factsheet on patch testing is available to download for £1.00 from here.
