How do you treat an occupationally related skin disease?

Remove the allergen and as many irritants as possible from both work and home. Allergens must be substituted with less sensitizing alternatives. For example, vinyl gloves can be used in place of rubber gloves. Patients must be instructed to avoid both excessive water exposure and frequent hand washing. The constant wetting and drying can lead to chapping, which makes all hand dermatitis worse. Hands can be protected from the elements by using cotton glove liners to absorb perspiration inside a proper protective glove for the job. Moisturizers should be used immediately after wetting the hands or whenever they appear dry and scaling. Topical corticosteroids are the mainstay of therapy for occupational contact dermatitis, with systemic steroids reserved for acute, severe situations. Other treatments for severe chronic OSD have included cyclosporine, methotrexate, topical tacrolimus, and phototherapy. With treatment and hand protection, many workers can and do continue to work despite a hand dermatitis. Job change should only be considered in patients whose inadvertent and direct exposure to irritants or an allergen cannot be eliminated adequately. Most workers suffer financial and social consequences from changing occupations and do best with environmental modifications that allow them to remain on their job.