Contact dermatitis - Preventing contact dermatitis

The best way to prevent contact dermatitis is to avoid contact with the allergens or irritants that cause your symptoms.

If you cannot avoid contact, you can take steps to reduce the risk of the allergens or irritants causing symptoms.

Clean your skin

If you come into contact with an allergen or irritant, rinse the affected skin with warm water and a soap substitute (an emollient – see below). Do this as soon as possible after coming into contact with the allergen or irritant.

Use protective clothing

You can wear protective clothing to reduce your contact with the allergens or irritants.

Irritant contact dermatitis often affects the hands, so gloves are an easy and effective way of minimising your contact with an irritant. You may find it useful to wear cotton gloves underneath rubber gloves, if the rubber also irritates you. Take your gloves off every now and again, as sweating can make any symptoms worse.

If you work with potential irritants, there may be health and safety guidance at work that tells you about the protective equipment you should wear.

Change products

If you know that a certain product causes your contact dermatitis, such as a type of make-up or soap, try using a different product.

Check the ingredients to make sure it does not contain any irritants or allergens. In some cases, you may need to contact the manufacturer, or check online to get this information.

Use emollients

Apply emollients frequently and in large amounts (read about how contact dermatitis is treated for more information). These will keep your skin hydrated and help protect it from allergens and irritants.

Use emollient soap substitutes rather than regular bar or liquid soaps, as these can dry out your skin. This is particularly important if you need to wash your hands frequently at work.

Barrier creams

Barrier creams can be applied to create a barrier between you and the irritant. If used correctly, they may help reduce contact with the irritant. However, it's not clear how effective they are, so you shouldn't rely on them as your only form of protection. A physical barrier is much better protection.

After-work creams

After-work creams are designed to be used at the end of your working day. Applying after-work creams may reduce the frequency and severity of your symptoms. 

Dietary changes

Rare cases of contact dermatitis are caused by the allergen nickel, which is found in very small amounts in certain foods such as lentils, nuts and oats.

There is limited evidence that people who are sensitive to nickel might benefit from following a diet low in nickel, but you should speak to your doctor before making any changes to your diet.