Irritant contact dermatitis constitutes a major cause of morbidity affecting all age groups and may lead to a significant decline in the health-related quality of life. It accounts for the majority of occupational skin diseases in most countries and may lead to job changes and loss of employment. This book provides an up-to-date and comprehensive reference text on Irritant contact dermatitis, covering all aspects of the condition: clinical features, epidemiology, genetics and susceptibility, mechanisms, histopathology; risk and causative factors, differential diagnosis, prevention and therapy. Special emphasis is given to occupational and environmental aspects, providing guidance for a systematic exposure analysis of irritants and other potential skin hazards in the working environment as well as reviewing all the interventions for preventing occupational dermatitis. Diagnostic and management strategies, ranging from skin care products, anti-irritants, barrier creams, gloves and topical drugs are fully discussed. The editors and contributing authors are all leading practitioners in the field, and the book intends to provide a valuable resource for all those involved in clinical practice or scientific research in irritant dermatitis. Irritant Contact Dermatitis is a must-have resource for clinicians, researchers and regulators who are committed to generate knowledge and bring solutions in the field of skin irritation.

Autorentext

Dr. Iris Ale, MD, is a Professor of Allergy and Dermatology at the Republic University of Uruguay in South America. She is member of the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group, the South American Contact Dermatitis Group and the European Environmental Contact Dermatitis Group. She has received awards and scholarships from the World Allergy Organization, the International Labor Organization, the South American Organization and Accreditation System for University Careers, the Fulbright Committee and the Uruguayan Academy of Medicine. She is a specialist in Dermatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Intensive Care Medicine and Medical Education, and is a Peer Evaluator of Careers and Faculties of Medicine in South America. She pursued post doctoral studies in Occupational and Environmental Dermatology at the University of Louvain in Belgium with Professor Jean Marie Lachapelle and in Dermato-allergology and Dermatotoxicology at the University of California in San Francisco with Professor Howard Maibach. Dr. Howard I. Maibach, MD., is a Professor of Dermatology at the University of California San Francisco. He completed his medical degree at Tulane University and his fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He holds three honorary doctorates from the Université de Paris-Sud, Université Claude Bernard Lyon and the Universidad de la República del Uruguay. Dr. Maibach is a member of the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group, the North American Contact Dermatitis Group, and the European Environmental Contact Dermatitis Group. His professional interests include: patient care, dermato-physiology, dermato-pharmacology, dermat-otoxicology, and dermato-allergology, all reflected in a bibliography of over 2000 publications and more than 50 volumes.