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What is the long-term treatment for contact dermatitis?

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Once the inflammation has settled, the main aim is to prevent it from happening again.

Avoid the cause
If the offending substance can be identified, then if you can avoid it the dermatitis will usually clear and not return. (There are some exceptions. For example: irritant contact dermatitis caused by chromium in cement can sometimes lead on to a long-term skin rash - even if the contact with chromium stops.)

Avoiding an irritant or allergen may be 'easier said than done'. For example:

Some substances which cause allergic contact dermatitis are additives to everyday things such as leather shoes and clothes, rubber, metals, cosmetics, etc. They may be difficult to avoid fully. However, your doctor or skin specialist can give you advice on where the substance is likely to occur and how to avoid it.
For some people, their job involves using substances that can cause irritant contact dermatitis. Unless you change your job, you may not be able to avoid the substance completely. Good hand care (described below) may help.

Hand care
About 3 in 4 cases of contact dermatitis involve the hands. Many cases are due to irritants (rather than allergies) from chemicals or other substances used at work. To help prevent irritant contact dermatitis of the hands, get into a routine of good 'hand care':

Don't keep your hands in water for very long.
Use protective gloves wherever possible when working with chemicals, detergents, etc.
Consider using a barrier cream to help protect the skin on the hands when working.
Use a mild skin cleanser rather than soap to clean your hands.
Dry your hands thoroughly after washing.
Use lots of moisturiser cream, and apply it frequently. This helps to keep the skin on your hands supple and to prevent chapping.

Intermittent use of topical steroid
Topical steroids will ease a flare-up of symptoms, but are not a long-term cure for contact dermatitis. The only long-term cure is to identify the cause and to avoid it.

However, it may be useful to have a topical steroid in your home medicine box. You may develop a flare up of symptoms if you accidentally come into contact with a substance you are allergic too. For example, if you use a new cosmetic or some jewellery which you did not realise contained your 'allergen'. A short course of topical steroid will then be welcome to ease the rash and inflammation.