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Kanerva's Occupational Dermatology pp 175–184Cite as

Airborne Contact Dermatitis

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Abstract

Occupational airborne irritant (frictional and/or chemical) contact dermatitis is due to fibers, dust particles, vapors, and/or gasses.

Occupational airborne allergic contact dermatitis is a common problem, provoked by a large variety of allergens.

Occupational airborne phototoxic and/or photoallergic contact dermatitis is a rare, but well documented event.

Occupational airborne immunological contact urticaria can be caused by several chemicals and/or proteins. Allergy to latex proteins is the main problem.

“Extrinsic” atopic dermatitis (face and neck dermatitis) is related to the penetration into the skin of aeroallergens, particularly dust mite.

There is a vast range of procedures available to reach a proper etiological diagnosis of airborne contact dermatitis.

Prevention and treatment of airborne contact dermatitis deserve special attention, and must be adapted to each individual situation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Occupational and Environmental Dermatology, Catholic University of Louvain, 30, Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs UCL 3099, B-1200, Montigny-le-Tilleul, Belgium

    Dr. Jean-Marie Lachapelle (Prof. Em. of Dermatology)

Authors
  1. Dr. Jean-Marie Lachapelle
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Correspondence to Jean-Marie Lachapelle .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Thomas Rustemeyer

  2. Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany

    Peter Elsner

  3. Department of Dermatology, Environmental Medicine and Health Theory, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany

    Swen-Malte John

  4. Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

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© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Lachapelle, JM. (2012). Airborne Contact Dermatitis. In: Rustemeyer, T., Elsner, P., John, SM., Maibach, H.I. (eds) Kanerva's Occupational Dermatology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02035-3_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02035-3_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-02034-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-02035-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

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