Symptoms vary depending on the cause and whether the dermatitis is due to an allergic reaction or an irritant. The same person may also have different symptoms over time. Allergic reactions may occur suddenly, or only after months of being exposed to a substance. The hands are a common site for contact dermatitis. Hair products, cosmetics, and perfumes often lead to skin reactions on the face, head, and neck. Jewelry can also cause skin problems in the area under it. Symptoms of contact dermatitis in TCM include:

1. Syndrome of Mixture of Heat-Toxin and Dampness
Main Symptoms: Sudden onset, fresh red color and tumefaction in skin lesions, accompanied by blisters or pustules, erosion, effusion, crust, spontaneous burning
sensation and pain, or by fever, dry mouth or greasy sensation in the mouth, brown urine, loose stool or constipated stool, reddened tongue, yellowish coating, slippery and rapid pulse.

2. Syndrome of Excessive Wind and Blood Dryness
Main Symptoms: Long-term and frequent contact with allergic substances, thick and dry skin lesions with desquamation, serious itching, dry mouth, dry tonguewith scanty fluid, thin and whitish coating, thready pulse.