Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is irritation from something that touches your skin, causing it to become red, sore, itchy, or swollen. There are two main types:

• Irritant dermatitis is the most common type. It occurs when your skin touches a substance that directly harms it (such as when soap dries out your skin). It often looks like a burn.
• Allergic contact dermatitis occurs when you come into contact with a substance to which you are allergic or hypersensitive (such poison ivy or latex). It often looks like a patchy red rash.