What substances cause Contact Dermatitis?
The most common cause of Contact Dermatitis in the United States is the poison ivy plant (and its relatives, poison oak and poison sumac). Another very common cause is nickel, a substance widely used in costume jewelry, in metal clasps on clothing, and in watch bands. Other causative substances include detergents, cleaning compounds, cosmetics, etc. Contact Dermatitis is extremely common. At work, at home, in the garden and elsewhere we are exposed to innumerable chemicals, metals, plants, etc. Thus, there is always the possibility that some of them may cause a reaction in susceptible individuals.
