Contact irritative dermatitis is a frequent disease which affects to a different extent almost the whole population. It is caused by the action of irritative substances on the skin and the concurrent action of other factors. The clinical picture can vary, most frequently it appears as eczema but there may be also other manifestations (urticaria, acne, folliculitis, impaired pigmentation etc.). When examining this condition a careful case-history is important, in particular an occupational caseistory with regard to the presence of irritating substances in the working environment. The diagnosis is then a synthesis of the case-history, clinical picture and examination by epicutaneous tests (the latter must be negative). Prevention of irritative dermatitis implies adherence to principles of skin protection during work, suitable selection of concentrations and also suitable selection of a job with regard to other dermatoses (e.g. atopic eczema).

        Key words: irritative contact dermatitis, causes and mechanism of development, most frequent irritating substances, possible examination methods and prevention