ABSTRACT
Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD), a condition with multifactorial causes, results from acute and chronic exposure to chemicals found in cosmetics, personal care products, drugs, and during occupational exposure. Prognosis for chronic ICD may be poor; the disease results in lost work and causes signifi cant distress. Thus, we sought to identify substances with anti-irritant potential in hopes of improving our understanding and better serving future patients. The concept of anti-irritants is prevalent but these substances are often considered part of a marketing ploy rather than valid methods of reducing ICD. Our overview attempts to add the available science to this concept.
