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Step-by-step guide

Keeping a record of contact dermatitis and possible triggers

Contact dermatitis can be hard to trace. A watch strap, a new detergent, or a hair product used a few days earlier may be the cause, and the reaction can appear long after the exposure. A dated timeline is one of the most useful things you can bring to your appointment.

Start with the timeline

The key question is usually not what the skin looks like today but what touched it, and when. Writing the timeline down while it's fresh makes it much easier to remember later.

Step by step

1. Photograph the area on the first day you notice it. Use a plain background and natural light. Note the date and time in the photo's folder.
2. Write down the exposure. Add a Diary note listing what touched the skin in the last few days: jewelry, a watch, gloves, a detergent, a fragrance, a hair product, a new fabric. Be specific about the brand or material where you can.
3. Use triggers for repeat exposures. Add tags for the materials or products involved. Tags make the same suspect easy to find across entries.
4. Log a daily check-in for the first two weeks. Record severity and itch each day. This shows whether the area is settling, staying the same, or changing after you stop the suspected item.
5. Record any patch testing. If a clinician arranges patch testing, add the test date and the names of the materials applied as Routine items. Keep the official results in your own notes and ask the clinic for a copy.
6. Keep the item list up to date. When you stop using something, note the date in Routine. That gives you a before and after for the suspected item.
7. Export a PDF before the appointment. The folder's PDF pulls together the photos and a short summary. It's easy to share with a clinic.