Dermatitis symptoms & treatment

Dermatitis is a catchall word that refers to inflammation of the skin – this can include rashes, dry patches and more. Some types of dermatitis are mild and can be treated at home. Other types may require treatment by a dermatologist. Types of dermatitis include:

• Atopic dermatitis (eczema)
• Contact dermatitis, caused by physical contact with skin irritants
• Dermatitis herpetiformis, a skin disease that causes intense itching and clusters of small blisters and bumps
• Generalized exfoliative dermatitis, often caused by a drug reaction, a complication of other skin conditions or – more rarely – lymphoma
• Seborrheic dermatitis, which causes red, itchy, scaly skin
• Other dermatitis conditions, such as localized scratch dermatitis, perioral dermatitis, nummular dermatitis and stasis dermatitis

Treatment options for dermatitis

There are many treatment options for dermatitis. Your doctor will discuss them with you, and recommend the best course of action. Treatment may include lotions, topical medications, oral medications or minor surgery.

Find a dermatologist

Use our search tool to find the specialist who’s right for you.

Find a dermatologist near you