Find all of your laboratory and workplace safety supplies at Safety Emporium!

Dermal toxicity

Glossary Index

Dermatosis

MSDS Topics	Free Sites	FAQ's	Regulations	Glossary	Software	Suppliers
	Books	Forum	Poll	Fun stuff	Quiz	Store
Understand your MSDS with the MS-Demystifier				Search ALL our MSDS info

We have all kinds of safety wall signs at Safety Emporium.

Definition

Dermatitis is an inflammation of the dermis and epidermis (the skin). Symptoms include a rash, blisters, sores, lesions, itching or cracked skin. The term eczema is also used for this condition.

Do not confuse this term with dermatosis, which is a much broader term for skin disease.

Additional Info

Dermatitis is often broken into subcategories:

1. Contact dermatitis - irritation that arises from direct contact with a material. This can be an immune response (such as an allergic reaction to latex) or a direct toxic effect.

2. Atopic dermatitis - is often found in the face, elbow and knee flexures of infants; symptoms tend to disappear with age.

Books Available

• "Contact and Occupational Dermatology" 4th Ed, Hardcover, 400 pages, 2016. Estimated price $85.84. Info and/or order .
• "Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology 13th Ed", Hardcover, 992 pages, 2019. Estimated price $188.78. Info and/or order.
• "Quick Guide to Contact Dermatitis 1st ed", Hardcover, 325 pages, 2015. Estimated price $78.92. Info and/or order.
• "Fisher's Contact Dermatitis 7th Ed", Hardcover, 697 pages, 2019. Estimated price $199.00. Info and/or order.
• "Atopic Dermatitis, An Issue of Dermatologic Clinics (The Clinics: Dermatology) 1st Ed", Hardcover, 2017. Estimated price $103.54. Info and/or order.
• "Protective Gloves for Occupational Use, Second Edition (Dermatology: Clinical & Basic Science), 2nd Ed", Hardcover, 368 pages, 2004. Estimated price $179.00. Info and/or order.
• "Pick Your Poison: How Our Mad Dash to Chemical Utopia is Making Lab Rats of Us All", Hardcover, 256 pages, 2011. Estimated price $16.98. Info and/or order ILPI recommended.

SDS Relevance

Dermatitis typically appears as a symptom of exposure or potential hazard in Section 11 (toxicological information) of a material's Safety Data Sheet

Failure to use proper skin protection (gloves, aprons etc.) can result in irritation or even poisoning by absorption of the material through the skin (see dermal toxicity). Even substances you might think that are rather harmless, such as sawdust, can dry and irritate your skin. Always use properly selected gloves (see the UCSD link in Further Reading, below) and appropriate protective clothing when working with hazardous materials. Section 8 (exposure controls/personal protection) of the SDS should provide proper guidance.

Encourage your workers to wear their gloves with stylish safety dispensers from Safety Emporium.

Further Reading

• Dermatitis at MayoClinic.com.
• Contact dermatitis at the U of Iowa Health Care.
• Dermatolgy Atlas DOIA includes extensive information about all kinds of skin conditions and features many images. Available in 5 languages!
• Contact dermatitis at the American Academy of Dermatology.
• Contact Dermatitis at Harvard Health Publishing.
• Preventing dermatitis at work - Advice for employers and employees at the U.K.'s HSE (1.4 Mb PDF download).
• Occupational/Allergic Contact Dermatitis at the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety.
• Contact Dermatitis at Medscape, a great resource for health care professionals.
• Types of safety gloves and their uses and limitations at UC San Diego (highly recommended).

See also: dermal, dermal toxicity, dermatosis, erythema, urticaria.

Additional definitions from Google and OneLook.

Entry last updated: Sunday, July 10, 2022. This page is copyright 2000-2024 by ILPI. Unauthorized duplication or posting on other web sites is expressly prohibited. Send suggestions, comments, and new entry desires (include the URL if applicable) to us by email.

Disclaimer: The information contained herein is believed to be true and accurate, however ILPI makes no guarantees concerning the veracity of any statement. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. ILPI strongly encourages the reader to consult the appropriate local, state and federal agencies concerning the matters discussed herein.