A Sherlockian approach to contact dermatitis

Identifying the etiology of allergic contact dermatitis requires detective work. Not all allergic reactions are eczematous in appearance. The most rel iable clinical due to the allergic nature of the dermatitis is its geograph ic distribution. Patch testing provides the list of culprit allergens. The mystery is solved when the suspected allergen is found to be relevant and t he patient has been adequately instructed in allergen avoidance.