Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Contact Dermatitis other diagnostic studies
Introduction
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Other Diagnostic Studies
Other Diagnostic Studies
The diagnosis is mostly based on the skin appearance and a history of exposure to an irritant or an allergen. Allergy testing with skin patches (called patch testing) may determine which allergen is causing the reaction. Patch testing is used for certain patients who have long-term, repeated contact dermatitis. It requires three office visits and must be done by a health care provider with the experience and skill to interpret the results correctly.
On the first visit, small patches of possible allergens are applied to the skin. These patches are removed 48 hours later to see if a reaction has occurred. A third visit about 2 days later is done to look for any delayed reaction. If you have already tested a material on a small area of your skin and noticed a reaction, you should bring the material with you.
Other tests may be used to rule out other possible causes, including skin lesion biopsy or culture of the skin lesion (see skin or mucosal biopsy culture).
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [2] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Saumya Easaw, M.B.B.S.[3]