What is a common skin condition caused by an irritant that can lead to dermatitis?

Irritant contact dermatitis is a common skin condition resulting from direct damage to the skin by an irritant substance. This condition is characterized by symptoms such as redness, swelling, burning, and itching, which occur at the site of contact. The irritants can be a wide range of substances, including soaps, detergents, solvents, and even environmental factors like moisture or friction.

In contrast, allergic contact dermatitis is a different condition that arises from an allergic reaction to a substance, where the immune system responds to allergens rather than direct irritation. Contact dermatitis is a broader term that encompasses both irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis but does not specifically highlight the irritant nature of the condition. Eczema, while it can involve inflammation of the skin, is a term often used to describe a range of dermatitis conditions and does not specifically refer to irritation-induced dermatitis.

Therefore, irritant contact dermatitis specifically identifies the type of dermatitis caused by direct irritation rather than an allergic response or other inflammatory skin conditions.