Preface

We are proud to present the first book on *Contact Dermatitis*, which was written to reflect the current state of the science, practice, and art of dermatology. In this book, we have invited a number of skilled individuals to share their expertise with our readers. *Contact Dermatitis* is an excellent tool to be utilized for anyone who requires help in diagnosing patients with a conundrum or treating patients with a therapeutically challenging dermatitis.

During the last decade, our insight into the knowledge of pathogenesis has increased. Diagnostic modalities have been modified and newly developed. Our aim is to encourage the understanding of scientific aspects of dermatology, and to provide an updated reference guide to contact dermatitis. A distinct feature of this book is that it describes numerous possible allergens causing contact dermatitis, and extensive details of research in the basic sciences and advanced diagnostic techniques are provided. Thus, this book will help our readers understand more about contact dermatitis. It is our hope that this book will assist physicians in treating contact dermatitis in the best way possible. Most importantly, we hope that this text will benefit patients in the future.

We thank all authors. We would also like to thank the production team of InTech for their efforts throughout the preparation of this book.

> **Prof. Dr. Young Suck Ro** Head Professor and Chairman, Department of Dermatology, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea

**Part 1** 

**Epidemiology** 

**Part 1** 

**Epidemiology** 

**1** 

*Talavera de la Reina,* 

 *Talavera de la Reina* 

*Spain* 

**Epidemiology of Contact Dermatitis** 

Carmen Panizo Bravo1 and Iván Cervigón González3

*2Department of Allergology, University Hospital La Paz, Madrid* 

*1Department of Allergology, Nuestra Señora del Prado General Hospital,* 

*3Department of Dermatology, Nuestra Señora del Prado General Hospital,* 

Jesús Jurado-Palomo1, Álvaro Moreno-Ancillo1, Irina Diana Bobolea2,

Substances that are responsible of contact dermatitis can be irritant, as chemical or physical agents that causes irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) , or sensitizers, when causes a tissue inflammation damage with allergic mechanism (allergic contact dermatitis or ACD). ICD results from contacts with irritant substances, while ACD is a delayed-type immunological reaction in response to contact with an allergen in sensitized individuals. Primary lesions of occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) are usually found at the site of contact with the irritant or allergen; in the case of ACD, secondary lesions may occur subsequently on other sites of the body that have never been in contact with the allergens

Contact dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin disease in industrialized countries, with a great socioeconomic impact. It is one of the most common occupational diseases (Coenreaads & Goncalo, 2007; Saint-Mezard et al 2004). Epidemiology is also used to analyse whether it is more common in specific groups, and which factors are associated with the occurrence of contact dermatitis (or its subtypes) in specific populations or subgroups.

Studies have been investigated a possible association between different factors and contact

Women are usually more frequently patch-tested, and have more positivity results than men (García-Gavín et al, 2011). Gender differences may be attributed to social and environmental factors; females are more likely to have nickel sensitivity because of increased wearing of jewellery, and males are more likely to have chromate sensitivity from occupational

**1. Introduction** 

sensitization.

**2.1 Gender and age** 

exposure (Ruff & Besilto, 2006).

(Meneghini & Angelini, 1984).

**2. Factors contributing to contact dermatitis** 
