Diagnostic Essentials for Contact Dermatitis in Chinese medicine:
(1) There is a history to contact allergic substances or irritable substances.

(2) Skin lesions often occur on the exposing parts of the face, neck, four limbs or the region contacting allergic irritable substances, with distinctive border. If the contact substances are gases and dust, skin lesions are diffuse with indistinctive border. If the body is highly sensitive, skin rashes can spread in an extensive scope. In mild condition, skin lesions can present erythema, in slightlyred or fresh red color, edema, and dense small papules. In severe condition, erythema and edema are obvious, accompanied by excessive papules, blisters, and even bigblisters, erosion, ulceration and necrosis.

(3) There are spontaneous itching and burning sensation in different degrees. In severe condition, there is a sensation of burning pain. Fever, aversion to cold, headache and nausea can be present in severe cases.

(4) The duration is limited. Mter the causative factor is removed, usually, the condition can subside and be cured quickly by proper treatment. In repeated contact with the allergen, skin lesions can present lichenoid change or eczematid change in brown red color and become chronic contact dermatitis.

(5) Patch test is needed in searching causative factors.

In TCM, a disease or a symptom might be caused by one pathogenic factor, even two or three pathogenic factors. When diagnosing a disease or a symptom, TCM doctors must follow the principle of "Syndrome Dfferentiation", and then "Suit the Remedy to the Case". In order to gain a more definite and valuable diagnosis, it's important and necessary for the doctor to learn the detailed health information of the patient, including his/her disease duration, age, sex, height, weight, family history, urine, stool, diet, sleep, sweat, energy, mood (emotion), as well as the tongue conditions and the palm conditions, etc. If you would want our expert to create a TCM diagnosis, you're welcome to contact us.